Chapter Summaries

Pu Heng agreed to help Kong Yiyi and Xing Chun rescue Shi Yuezhen in exchange for their help rescuing Bei Shan and Lu Wanwan, while Yu Sui recruited Wan Qi to join them. Elsewhere, Gu Gan confronted Ji Meng and revealed that he knew about Ji Meng’s past suspicions and betrayal.

• Kong Yiyi and Xing Chun agreed to help Pu Heng rescue Bei Shan and Lu Wanwan, and they planned to leave for the Black Fortress the next day.
• Wan Qi questioned Zhao Xiang about her master, guessed that Yu Sui and Mei Chengyu had saved Xing Chun, and learned that they were acting together.
• Yu Sui visited Wan Qi, paid him to accompany Kong Yiyi and Xing Chun, and met Mei Chengyu at the Herb Garden.
• Ji Meng prepared to return to the Western Wasteland, but Gu Gan stopped him and froze his companions with Golden Word Spirits.
• Gu Gan accused Ji Meng of conspiring with Suisui to take the Futuo Tower Fragments, while Ji Meng countered that Gu Gan had revealed his secret to her.

Gu Gan killed Ji Meng after forcing Li Hongxing to lead him through the Green Well toward the Black Fortress, while Yu Sui and Mei Chengyu followed behind and confronted the danger posed by Mei Chengyu’s failing health. Gu Gan emerged into a frozen landscape before the fortress, where a mysterious bell rang and an old man challenged the intruders.

• Ji Meng accused Gu Gan of treating him like a dog, and Gu Gan demanded that he lead the way to the Black Fortress.
• At the marshland, Ji Meng revealed Gu Gan’s identity to Li Hongxing, but Gu Gan killed Ji Meng after questioning him about Wei Ren’s shattered Light Core.
• Gu Gan forced Li Hongxing to use a vial to clear Snow Sickle Worms from the well, then entered the tunnels with him while Xun Zhiya waited for his signal.
• Yu Sui secretly kept Ji Meng alive with a monitoring Light Core and a Soul Light Core, then followed the group with Mei Chengyu through the worm-filled tunnels.
• Yu Sui confronted Mei Chengyu about the damage Heaven and Earth Synchronization had done to his health and told him she would hate him if he died.
• Gu Gan emerged from the well into a snowy world facing the Black Fortress, where a bell rang and an old man demanded to know who had trespassed.

Yu Sui and Mei Chengyu fell into an Underground City filled with people whose eyes had turned white, where the Wang Army began hunting them as intruders. They joined A Ling and the Du siblings, and A Ling disguised them with White Eyes so they could enter the Black Fortress.

• Gu Gan and Xun Zhiya escaped a distant attacker after Gu Gan triggered a Bellstone, while Yu Sui and Mei Chengyu fell through a hidden passage into the Underground City.
• Yu Sui met A Ling and the Du siblings, then questioned A Ling about her White Eyes and the Lan Poison in her body.
• The city announced a search for the intruders, and Yu Sui told A Ling they intended to enter the Black Fortress.
• A Ling offered to give Yu Sui and Mei Chengyu harmless dead bugs to make their eyes look white, but agreed to help only in exchange for treats and pretty clothes.
• As the Wang Army searched the city, A Ling used tears from her eyes to turn Yu Sui and Mei Chengyu's eyes white and led them toward the fortress workshops.

Yu Sui and Mei Chengyu entered the Black Fortress’s workshop district and learned about its incense production, the Voice of Heaven’s Mandate, and the people’s Insect Disease. Mei Chengyu uncovered Du Zheng’s buried memories, revealing that the underground settlement was an old outpost whose residents had emerged from a Black Water Pool and forgotten their past.

• A Ling smuggled Yu Sui past the Wang Army and brought her to a workshop room, where she explained that workers made Return Soul Incense and that Heaven’s Mandate controlled access to the royal city and treatment for Insect Disease.
• Yu Sui learned that A Ling could see colors unlike the other workers, and A Ling agreed to help her find people taken into the royal city.
• Mei Chengyu recognized the mountain wall as a deposit of Fire-Absorbing Ice Stone and learned from Du Zheng that the workshop sorted Caterpillar Fungus and made incense.
• Red-Eyed Crows inspected the rooms, and Mei Chengyu hid from them before using curse characters to extract Du Zheng’s memories.
• Mei Chengyu discovered that Du Zheng and his sister had arrived from a Black Water Pool as children, forgotten their past through the Famous Family Blessing, and lived in an outpost that predated the settlement Shi Yuezhen had known.

Mei Chengyu learned how the Underground City’s residents were controlled and ordered Du Zheng to gather people willing to resist the Wang Army. Aboveground, Gu Gan reunited with Xue He, learned his father had entrusted him with the Xuan Kui Base, and set out with Xun Zhiya to find Shi Yuezhen; meanwhile, Yu Sui entered the royal city as Old Man Zhu San prepared to expand Lan Poison sales.

• Du Zheng told Mei Chengyu that A Ling had used intruders to obtain Worship Incense and Thirty Incense, and Mei Chengyu told him to gather workshop workers willing to fight the Wang Army.
• Gu Gan used his Fire Element Formation and Celestial Official to stop Xue He’s Black Spear, then Xue He recognized him as Gu Xiao’s son and embraced him.
• Xue He revealed that he had guarded the Xuan Kui Base for Gu Xiao and that the Hui Insects and Old Man Zhu San’s medicine operation were also underground.
• Gu Gan told Xun Zhiya about his parents and his father’s dream for Lan Poison, and she reassured him that she loved him regardless of his background.
• Gu Gan asked Xue He to take him to Shi Yuezhen, and Xue He agreed to lead him and Xun Zhiya into the Underground City.
• A Ling led Yu Sui toward the royal city while Old Man Zhu San urged his associates to promote Lan Poison across the remaining Five Kingdoms.

Gu Gan arrived at the Underground City and was recognized as the true master of the Black Fortress, while Old Man Zhu San tried to conceal his own past dealings with the Xun clan. Meanwhile, Yu Sui exposed A Ling’s schemes and forced her to lead the way to the Dance Pavilion, as trouble erupted across the city.

• Xue He declared Gu Gan the son of the School of Names' Poison God and the true master of the Black Fortress, and Old Man Zhu San knelt to greet him.
• Gu Gan questioned Old Man Zhu San about the Huichong Abyss and asked to see Shi Yuezhen, while Old Man Zhu San secretly sent Black Face Six to find Xun Zhan.
• Yu Sui confronted A Ling about her plans to betray her, frightened her into submission, and made her guide the way to the Dance Pavilion.
• Black Face Seven reported that Shi Yuezhen had merged with Chu Pool after Lord Xun's side ordered her thrown into Zhong Pool, and Gu Gan went to investigate.
• Black Face Five reported that the Wang Army at the workshop had lost their Five Elements Qi and that the White Eyes were fighting them.
• Black Face Eight reported four intruders in the Underground City, and Old Man Zhu San ordered the royal city sealed and the remaining Protectors sent to investigate.

Yu Sui and A Ling were trapped by Mujin in the Buddhist Eight Sceneries of Purgatory, where Yu Sui fought off the Red Eye Curse Marks and recognized the Heart Scene's rebound effect. The chapter ended with Yu Sui seeing the Mute Woman in the mirror-like ground and walking toward her, while Mujin realized she was a powerful Thirteenth Realm Dual Cultivation Sorcerer.

• Yu Sui and A Ling fell into Kongjing, where Red Eye Curse Marks controlled A Ling and forced her to attack Yu Sui.
• Yu Sui summoned the Undying Vermilion Bird and burned away the curse marks, but Mujin sent them deeper into Purgatory before the flames could reach him.
• Yu Sui identified their new prison as Purgatory: Heart Scene and learned that attacks there rebounded onto the attacker.
• A Ling sobbed about the harsh life she had escaped, and Yu Sui remembered being unable to cry after the Mute Woman died.
• Yu Sui saw the Mute Woman beckoning from the mirror-like ground, stepped toward her, and used Draw the line as a prison to protect herself.
• Mujin recognized Yu Sui's Yin-Yang and Daoist techniques and judged her a dangerous Thirteenth Realm Dual Cultivation Sorcerer.

Yu Sui resisted Mujin’s attempt to manipulate her through A Ling’s painful memories, killed him, and fought off the Wang Army. She saved A Ling and promised to make her a Nine Schools Practitioner, then told her to kill anyone who wanted her beaten.

• Mujin trapped A Ling in Purgatory · Heart Scene and exposed the childhood abuse that had left her terrified and helpless.
• Yu Sui rejected Mujin’s assumption that she would save A Ling, then killed A Ling with a Wind Blade and sent her killing intent through the Heart Scene to attack Mujin.
• Yu Sui overwhelmed Mujin, whose Light Core she devoured with the Yin Yang Double Fish, and killed him with a gust of wind through his forehead.
• The Wang Army charged Yu Sui, but she drew a black blade from her red umbrella and defeated the guards while protecting A Ling.
• A Ling recovered as her golden Light Core appeared and told Yu Sui about her family; Yu Sui promised she would wake as a Nine Schools Practitioner with a Thirteenth Realm Soul Light Core.
• Yu Sui told A Ling to kill everyone who wanted her to be beaten.

Luo Bo hunted Wan Qi, Kong Yiyi, Xing Chun, and Shen Liu in the Underground City, using Mirror Flower and the forbidden Reincarnation Scripture to survive their attacks. Shen Liu sacrificed himself to poison Luo Bo, and the chapter ended with Shen Liu summoning star generals that removed the moisture Luo Bo needed to use Mirror Flower.

• Luo Bo used Mirror Flower to ambush Wan Qi and the others, then fought Kong Yiyi as she defended her companions with her sword and Military School body techniques.
• Wan Qi and Shen Liu joined the fight, but Luo Bo regrew his severed hand with the Reincarnation Scripture and overpowered them.
• Shen Liu explained that the Reincarnation Scripture let Luo Bo steal others’ qi and techniques by eating them, then swallowed a Mountain-borrowing Gold Gu to poison Luo Bo if he ate him.
• Kong Yiyi continued fighting Luo Bo while protecting a child, and Luo Bo revealed that Ye Shuiya had died after being captured.
• Shen Liu summoned the Zhuque and Black Tortoise star arrays, whose flames consumed the blood and moisture around them, preventing Luo Bo from using Mirror Flower.

Shen Liu sacrificed himself to poison Luo Bo, but Luo Bo revived and pursued Wan Qi, Kong Yiyi, and Xing Chun into the Black Fortress. After an unknown force blasted Xiang Zhiyuan away, the Mountain Wall collapsed, and Wan Qi woke to find Mei Chengyu beside him.

• Shen Liu used Return Soul Incense to strengthen himself, then Luo Bo killed and devoured him before the Mountain-borrowing Gold Gu caused Luo Bo's body to burst apart.
• Wan Qi and Kong Yiyi escaped across the City River Bridge with Xing Chun and continued toward the Black Fortress, determined to find Shi Yuezhen.
• Xiang Zhiyuan helped Luo Bo revive from the Wine Gourd, and Luo Bo revealed that Shi Yuezhen had fused with Xin Pool and was presumed dead.
• Luo Bo and Xiang Zhiyuan confronted Wan Qi, Kong Yiyi, and Xing Chun in a blizzard, but an unseen strike blasted Xiang Zhiyuan away when he attacked Xing Chun.
• The Mountain Wall collapsed and sent everyone plunging underground; Wan Qi later woke and found Mei Chengyu standing before him.

Mei Chengyu, Wan Qi, Kong Yiyi, and Xing Chun confronted the dangers and secrets of the underground workshop, where they discovered powerful Fire-Absorbing Ice Stone and encountered Luo Bo. After Xing Chun demanded an honest conversation, he and Mei Chengyu agreed that, despite their families’ hatred, they could still eat together.

• Mei Chengyu explained that the underground workshop produced Lan Poison and Return Soul Incense, while Wan Qi reported that Luo Bo had eaten Shen Liu and survived.
• Kong Yiyi confronted Mei Chengyu about disappearing and demanded that he help her reach the Medicine Insect Pond to verify whether Ye Shuiya was dead.
• Mei Chengyu revealed Fire-Absorbing Ice Stone in the mountain wall, but he refused to hand the sacred stones over to Shuizhou.
• Luo Bo broke out of the rocks after eating his wounded companion, then fled when Mei Chengyu used the Bagua Life Technique to protect Xing Chun.
• After Xing Chun recovered, he confronted Mei Chengyu about his silence and declared that their friendship could continue in a simpler form: they could still eat together.
• Mei Chengyu accepted Xing Chun’s proposal to remain two people who could share meals despite the hatred between their lineages.

Yu Sui helped A Ling adapt to the Soul Light Core, extracted her memories of the Black Water Insect Pond, and brought her toward the real Xin Pool above the underground royal city. As the Dragon Ladder rose, Yu Sui prepared to use A Ling to search the pool, while Gu Gan and his group approached it from another passage.

• Yu Sui questioned A Ling and entered her memories, discovering the Black Water Insect Pond and the children thrown into it.
• After A Ling passed out, Yu Sui gave her a Memory Point and taught her basic Bagua Life Techniques and Wind Riding Technique.
• Yu Sui sent A Ling to defeat the Wang Army guards at the Dragon Ladder, and A Ling knocked them down with her newfound strength.
• Yu Sui activated the Dragon Ladder and explained that A Ling might help her find someone in the Xin Pool, where Man-made Huichong were kept.
• Old Man Zhu San found that the Dragon Ladder was rising uncontrollably and ordered the Dragon Ladder Well Mouth sealed.
• As the Dragon Ladder neared its destination, Yu Sui sensed people outside, while Gu Gan and his group headed toward the black lake.

Gu Gan learned that Shi Yuezhen had died while Xue He revealed the secret Huichong experiments and the Insect Mother’s unexpected evolution. As Gu Gan’s group tracked intruders in the Underground Royal City, Yu Sui exposed A Ling as a potential host and clashed with Xue He’s forces, leaving Gu Gan facing Yu Sui inside the Dragon Ladder.

• Gu Gan and Xun Zhiya visited Xin Pool, where Xue He explained that Xun Zhan and Old Man Zhu San had secretly pursued the Dao Gu Insect Body through Huichong experiments.
• Xun Zhiya revealed that her paternal uncles had sought to create a power surpassing Legalism Heavenly Punishment, and Gu Gan promised to protect her and seek evidence against Old Man Zhu San.
• Xue He explained that Cang Shu’s blood had changed the Insect Mother, while Gu Gan decided to preserve the underground stronghold and allow the research to continue for now.
• Old Man Zhu San reported that intruders had killed Mujin and Xiang Zhiyuan and disrupted the workshop, prompting Gu Gan and Xue He to search the royal city for Kong Yiyi and Xing Chun.
• Yu Sui seized A Ling and made her pretend to be a hostage, while revealing that A Ling could alter other people’s eyes and might be a suitable Huichong host.
• Xue He sent the Spirit Bird Flying Snake into the Dragon Ladder, but Yu Sui countered with the Undying Vermilion Bird, and Gu Gan entered to confront her.

Yu Sui fought Gu Gan while A Ling searched the insect-filled pool for the missing bodies, and Xue He’s attack sent Yu Sui underwater among the Hui Insects. Elsewhere, Zhongli Que divined that Yu Sui was in danger and maneuvered her traveling party toward Xiangshan City to investigate sacred stones she had seen in her vision.

• Yu Sui used Light Cores to wield Nine Schools Techniques inside Gu Gan’s Celestial Official domain, shattered the Dragon Ladder, and escaped with him into the battle above.
• A Ling found Shi Yuezhen’s corpse in the pool but could not find Cang Shu, then emerged to see the Undying Vermilion Bird’s fire engulfing the shore.
• Gu Gan rescued Xun Zhiya from the Vermilion Bird’s attack, while Xue He’s lightning drove Yu Sui into a pool where Hui Insects swarmed around her.
• Zhongli Que woke from a vision of Yu Sui falling into insect-filled water and secretly divined, seeing sacred stones covering a mountain wall.
• Sheng Zui’s party stopped overnight in the mountains, and the next morning he diverted the convoy to Xiangshan City after learning that Li Hongxing and another young master had gone missing.
• Zhongli Que agreed to the detour because she had deliberately delayed the convoy and wanted to investigate the sacred stones from her divination.

The Insect Mother absorbed A Ling’s blood, triggering a disastrous surge of Hui Insects that flooded the underground level. As Xue He tried to contain the insects and Gu Gan went to the sealed workshop, Gu Gan broadcast a plea for Suisui to come out of Xin Pool, while Li Hongxing overheard the names of those he blamed for the chaos.

• A Ling’s blood drew the Insect Mother’s attention, and Xue He’s Golden Word Spirit dragged her toward it as Old Man Zhu San ordered that she be offered to the Insect Mother.
• The black water erupted, the Hui Insects swarmed through the Dragon Ladder, and Gu Gan escaped with Xue He while Xun Zhiya remained unconscious.
• Xue He ordered the level sealed and Return Soul Incense prepared, while Old Man Zhu San learned that the workshop’s Lan Poison was inaccessible.
• Yu Sui evaded Xue He’s Tracking Character Spirit and searched the flooded pool for A Ling as the Hui Insects gathered around her.
• At the workshop, Gu Gan learned that Mei Chenyu was among the intruders and suspected that the woman in the Black Wind Robe was Suisui.
• Gu Gan used an Amplification Stone to call for Suisui to leave Xin Pool, and Li Hongxing heard the broadcast and recognized the names of the people he blamed.

Ji Hongxing escaped the Underground City and told Sheng Zui that Gu Gan and Nangong Sui might still be alive, prompting Sheng Zui to return underground. As Lan Poison spread and the Black Fortress collapsed, Yu Sui drew Xue He away while Xing Chun and Kong Yiyi escaped with Shi Yuezhen’s remains, only to meet Sheng Zui at the well.

• Ji Hongxing escaped the well, met Sheng Zui’s party, and revealed that Gu Gan was alive and had called for Nangong Sui.
• Sheng Zui forced Ji Hongxing to lead him back to the well, where they descended into the Underground City.
• Mei Chengyu ignited the Return Soul Incense as Gu Gan broke the barrier, triggering a massive Lan Poison outbreak and destroying the formation.
• The Black Fortress shook as Hui Insects and black water flooded it, while Yu Sui emerged from Xin Pool and lured Xue He toward the Snow Plains.
• Xing Chun and Kong Yiyi escaped with Shi Yuezhen’s remains as Wan Qi led others out; Sheng Zui questioned them at the surface.
• When Xing Chun and Kong Yiyi emerged from the well, Sheng Zui ordered his men to seize them.

Gu Gan sent Xun Zhiya and Old Man Zhu San to escape the collapsing Underground City while he went after Xue He and the Mysterious Person. Aboveground, a melee erupted around the well as Zhongli Que took Kong Yiyi and Xing Chun away; meanwhile, Mei Chengyu followed a strange path through the mountain toward the source of the Fire-Absorbing Ice Stones.

• Gu Gan reunited with Xun Zhiya, told her to lead Old Man Zhu San and the others to the surface, and left to find Xue He and recover the Insect Mother.
• Sheng Zui tried to stop the people emerging from the well and questioned Xun Zhiya, prompting Old Man Zhu San to order his men to attack and triggering a brawl.
• Luo Bo freed Kong Yiyi and her companions from the formation, then vanished into the reeds as the fighting spread.
• Zhongli Que invited Kong Yiyi and Xing Chun into her carriage and left for the city, intending to delay the arrival of Shui Danzhou's people.
• Mei Chengyu carved a path through the mountain with Kaiwu, discovered the connected Fire-Absorbing Ice Stones, and continued toward the path's unknown destination.

Yu Sui rescued A Ling, severed Xue He's hand, and confronted Gu Gan, who recognized her as Yu Luo and tried to persuade her to return. They worked together to send the Lan Poison into the wasteland, where Yu Luo burned it away; the resulting shower of sparks reached the battle by the well and stirred Zhongli Que's memories of her dream.

• Yu Sui awakened A Ling, whose black light severed Xue He's hand and ended his pursuit.
• Gu Gan caught up with Yu Sui, recognized her as Yu Luo, and urged her to return, but she sent him flying with the Red Umbrella.
• Yu Sui and Gu Gan agreed to redirect the Lan Poison Gas Wave into the wasteland, with Yu Luo planning to burn it using the Yin Yang Double Fish.
• Gu Gan used the Sharp Image Formation to send the Lan Poison upward, and Yu Luo destroyed the Snow Colored Tornadoes in the wasteland with an explosion.
• Sheng Zui, Old Man Zhu San, and Zhongli Que saw the sparks over the battlefield, and Zhongli Que recognized the scene from her dream.

Wang Zhen avoided a confrontation, Qin Hai worked to open an altar, and Gu Feng carried out a purge of legacy families amid several separate incidents. Datou and Qi Chunhong learned that Wolin remained unconscious and had been carried away by Han Ting, but found no further information.

• Wang Zhen slipped past Chen Mingxiang and hid beneath the bedcovers to avoid being drawn into a dispute with Wu Yutong's mother.
• The SuperSonics defeated the Warriors and extended their winning streak to eight games.
• Qin Hai followed Old Ding's instructions and dismantled the Formation Bases with innate Dao energy to weaken the altar's defenses.
• Gu Feng raced through multiple cities as the Judgement Hall's purge erased legacy families overnight.
• Salman searched from his Apache attack helicopter after a bombardment and returned toward the base after finding no one in sight.
• Datou reached the infirmary, where he and Qi Chunhong learned that Wolin was still unconscious and Han Ting had carried her away.

Mei Xueling advised helping a potential ally, Huang Quan concluded that Zhou Jiu was his son, and fighting divided a fortress as the Mongols captured supplies and personnel. Separate scenes followed other characters through confrontations, discoveries, and routine activities without resolving their situations.

• Mei Xueling urged helping a potential ally rather than making an enemy, then prepared for a palace banquet.
• Huang Quan took Huang Zhixue's failure to deny his question as confirmation that Zhou Jiu was his son.
• Ouyang Shaozheng revealed his first-level Core Condensation Realm cultivation and targeted Zhou Jiu.
• The Mongols captured supplies and personnel, and the Southern Song warriors commanded by Ma'anzhen surrendered almost without resistance.
• Qingwu identified the Nine Heavens Beastheart Diagram as a top-grade fourth-tier spirit artifact that could potentially be reforged into the fifth tier.
• Zhao Ming searched an alley but found no sign of Starry Sky Games.