Chapter Summaries

Jiang Wuqi challenged Jiang Wang to a public duel on Cloud Mist Mountain, but Zhang Yong stepped forward to fight him instead. Jiang Wang accepted Zhang Yong’s challenge to spare Li Longchuan, and the duel began as the onlookers gathered.

• Jiang Wang refused rewards from Jiang Wuqi, who praised his propriety and integrity before challenging him to a duel.
• Zhang Yong volunteered to fight Jiang Wang, while Li Longchuan objected to holding a contest at Cloud Mist Mountain and offered to face Gongsun Yu.
• Zhang Yong asked to fight Li Longchuan, but Jiang Wang stepped in to protect his friend and challenged Zhang Yong himself.
• Jiang Wuqi approved the match, and Jiang Wang and Zhang Yong faced each other over the sea of clouds.
• Yan Fu asked why Jiang Wuqi was pressing Jiang Wang, and Jiang Wuqi said the duel would humble him for his own good.
• Xu Xiangan warned that Jiang Wuqi might find the plan difficult to carry out.

Jiang Wang and Zhang Yong fought a fierce duel above Cloud Mist Mountain, each using techniques from several schools. Jiang Wang unleashed his newly created Eight-Sound Flame Sparrow, whose power reached the Inner Palace Realm, leaving the spectators stunned as the battle's outcome remained unclear.

• Jiang Wang opened with the Sword of the Vast Human Sea, while Zhang Yong countered with Haoran Qi and used a Legalist boundary to restrain Jiang Wang and disrupt his Five Energies.
• Zhang Yong summoned the Daoist Art Single Tree Becomes a Forest, and Jiang Wang broke free before covering the forest with his Sea of Flame Flowers.
• Jiang Wang used Jealous Fire to inflame Zhang Yong's resentment, disrupting his control of the forest and giving Jiang Wang a chance to charge in with his sword.
• Zhang Yong's eyes opened with a dangerous, night-deep gaze, triggering Jiang Wang's prepared countermeasure.
• Jiang Wang unleashed Eight-Sound Flame Sparrow, which exploded both the forest and the sea of Flame Flowers and displayed the power of a complete Inner Palace Realm strike.

Jiang Wang defeated Zhang Yong with the Eight-Sound Flame Sparrow, and Jiang Wuqi ended the dispute over his Fourteenth Brother. The group continued to Cloud Mist Pavilion, while Jiang Wuqi explained that defending the imperial family’s dignity also defended his own.

• Jiang Wang defeated Zhang Yong with the Eight-Sound Flame Sparrow and lowered his sword after studying Zhang Yong’s pleading expression.
• Jiang Wuqi praised Jiang Wang, promised Zhang Yong complete cultivation methods, and declared that he would not pursue the matter concerning Jiang Wuyong.
• Jiang Wuqi led his entourage down the mountain as Jiang Wang and his companions continued to Cloud Mist Pavilion and admired the Cloud Mist Flowers.
• Lei Yikun questioned Jiang Wuqi’s support for Jiang Wuyong, and Jiang Wuqi replied that upholding the Great Qi imperial family’s dignity was upholding his own.

Jiang Wang told Chongxuan Sheng about his encounter with Jiang Wuqi, and Chongxuan Sheng interpreted it as a warning to leave Blue Stone Palace alone. After reviewing their campaign against the Treasure Gathering Chamber of Commerce, Chongxuan Sheng asked Jiang Wang to visit the ruins of Wither-Bloom Monastery with him that night.

• Jiang Wang recounted the day's events to Chongxuan Sheng but kept his strange sympathy for Zhang Yong to himself.
• Chongxuan Sheng explained that Jiang Wuqi was warning them to stop targeting Blue Stone Palace and decided to halt their moves against the Treasure Gathering Chamber of Commerce.
• Jiang Wang read the figures showing that they had closed eighty-seven of the Chamber's shops in Linzi, while Chongxuan Sheng warned that taking more would draw too much attention.
• Jiang Wang and Chongxuan Sheng agreed that Su She remained dangerous and that they should prepare for Wang Yiwu, whom Chongxuan Sheng said deserved respect.
• Chongxuan Sheng, feeling dazed, asked Jiang Wang to accompany him to the old site of Wither-Bloom Monastery that night.

Jiang Wang, Chongxuan Sheng, and Shi Si visited the ruins of the Wither-Bloom Monastery, where Chongxuan Sheng confronted his loneliness and wondered about Chongxuan Futu’s past betrayal. Their conversation stopped when Jiang Wang heard an unseen voice chanting Amitabha Buddha.

• Jiang Wang, Chongxuan Sheng, and Shi Si arrived at the abandoned ruins of the Wither-Bloom Monastery, destroyed after the Qi Emperor deposed Jiang Wuliang.
• Chongxuan Sheng recalled hiding his intelligence as a child and confessed that he felt lonely despite being with his friends.
• Chongxuan Sheng wondered whether the monastery’s ruins held the answer to why Chongxuan Futu had betrayed his family, friends, and subordinates.
• Jiang Wang realized Chongxuan Sheng had once hoped to draw Jiang Wuliang out of the Blue Stone Palace, but Jiang Wuliang had remained silent.
• Jiang Wang heard a chant that Chongxuan Sheng and Shi Si could not hear, and the voice grew clearer as it called, “Homage to Amitabha Buddha!”

Monk Kujue and Jingli discussed Jingshen, the truth about Kujue’s supposed disciple Jinge, and their recent punishment of Jinghai. Meanwhile, Jiang Wang followed a Buddhist chant through the ruins of Wither-Bloom Monastery, where visions of people connected to his killings confronted him with their anger.

• Kujue told Jingli that Jingshen would return to the Hanging Temple when the time was right, and praised Jingli’s good fortune.
• Jingli repeated Jinghai’s claims that Kujue had invented his connection to Zuo Guanglie, prompting Kujue to defend his story and grieve that Zuo Guanglie’s soul had scattered.
• Jingli said that he and the others had beaten Jinghai after stuffing him into the Grind-Trial Bag, and Kujue approved.
• Jiang Wang heard a chant of “Amitabha” in the ruins while Chongxuan Sheng and Shi Si followed him, unable to hear it.
• Jiang Wang wandered as the faces and voices of people who had died because of him appeared, ending with the accusation, “You want to build a glorious career... but what wrong have we, the living, done?”

At the ruins of Wither-Bloom Monastery, Jiang Wang was trapped in a trial of his Dao Heart and rejected the Buddhist precept against killing, declaring his conscience clear. He escaped the ordeal and left with Chongxuan Sheng and Shi Si, but a mysterious clanging sounded outside.

• Jiang Wang wandered toward an unknown place while Chongxuan Sheng and Shi Si tried to stop him without provoking his instincts.
• Jiang Wang saw the Swastika Symbol and heard Kujue ask whether he would refrain from killing throughout his life.
• Jiang Wang answered that he could not uphold the precept and recalled why he did not regret killing those he had killed or intended to kill.
• The Swastika Symbol vanished, and Jiang Wang regained control of himself, declaring that his conscience was clear.
• Jiang Wang explained the ordeal to Chongxuan Sheng and Shi Si, and Chongxuan Sheng led them out of the ruins.
• All three heard a series of clanging sounds from outside.

Jiang Wang, Chongxuan Sheng, and Shi Si encountered an unnerving blind Night Watchman outside the abandoned Wither-Bloom Monastery and left without learning its secret. Jiang Wang realized his lifespan remained partly unrecovered, a Pass that could block his cultivation, while the Night Watchman continued his rounds behind them.

• Jiang Wang, Chongxuan Sheng, and Shi Si emerged from the monastery ruins and met a blind Night Watchman carrying a White Lantern.
• Jiang Wang answered the Night Watchman's questions truthfully, and the Night Watchman let them pass after warning them not to disturb the neighbors.
• Chongxuan Sheng offered to repaint the lantern, but declined when the Night Watchman invited him to come home and do it immediately.
• After they left, Chongxuan Sheng said the monastery's powerful Night Watchman suggested something strange was being guarded there, and Jiang Wang learned nothing from the silent Jiang Yan.
• Jiang Wang told Chongxuan Sheng that the monastery had strengthened his Dao heart and revealed that his lifespan was still not fully restored, creating a Pass to further cultivation.
• The three disappeared into Linzi as the White Lantern flashed through the darkness and the Night Watchman struck the clapper for the fifth watch.

Jiang Wang reflected on lifespan, the Longevity Fruit Chongxuan Sheng had given him, and the need to recover years lost through the White Bone Sect's arts. After two quiet days of cultivation and battles in the Great Void Illusion Realm, he refused entry to an uninvited guest whose lavish gifts and visiting card had arrived at Xia Mountain Villa.

• Jiang Yan warned Jiang Wang to be wary of Chongxuan Sheng, but Jiang Wang ignored the warning and returned to cultivation.
• Jiang Wang considered how lifespan could be extended, recalled that Chongxuan Sheng's Longevity Fruit had added twenty years to his life, and recognized that he needed to restore the lifespan he had lost through the White Bone Sect's arts.
• Jiang Wang spent two peaceful days cultivating and fighting more than a hundred battles in the Great Void Illusion Realm.
• An uninvited guest sent eight loads of valuables, land deeds, and pharmacy leases to Xia Mountain Villa before arriving in a grand carriage.
• Xia Mountain Villa's gates remained shut, and Jiang Wang's returned visiting card struck and stuck to the carriage door.

Bao Zhongqing came to Xia Mountain Villa seeking to befriend Chongxuan Sheng, but their family rivalry erupted into insults and a confrontation. After Bao Zhongqing ordered his men to kill Jiang Wang, Jiang Wang charged into their attack while Chongxuan Sheng and Shi Si watched from the courtyard.

• Bao Zhongqing arrived at Xia Mountain Villa with guards and gifts, but Chongxuan Sheng refused to receive him.
• Chongxuan Sheng came out and insulted Bao Zhongqing, prompting Yan Er to offer to teach him a lesson.
• Bao Zhongqing stopped Yan Er and argued that Chongxuan Sheng should focus on the threats posed by Wang Yiwu and Chongxuan Zun.
• Bao Zhongqing noticed Jiang Wang smiling, demanded to know why, and ordered his three Soaring Dragon Realm fighters to kill him after Jiang Wang answered that he was laughing at Bao.
• Jiang Wang parried the attackers' opening strikes, then charged into their saber light as Chongxuan Sheng and Shi Si retreated to watch.

Jiang Wang defeated Yan Er and the Pingxi Twin Evils after their three-way assault on him at Xia Mountain Villa. He unveiled a new sword technique, Old General's Twilight, and left all three opponents sprawled before Bao Zhongqing.

• Jiang Wang broke through Yan Er and the Pingxi Twin Evils' combined attack and unleashed the Sea of Flame Flowers.
• Yan Er tore open the flower sea while the Pingxi Twin Evils sent their strongest paired blade strike toward Jiang Wang.
• Jiang Wang opened his eyes and used Old General's Twilight, drawing on his deepened understanding of the Sword of the Vast Human Sea.
• Jiang Wang shattered the Twin Evils' blade light, broke Yan Er's palms, and sent all three opponents flying.
• Jiang Wang landed and sheathed his sword as silence fell before Xia Mountain Villa.

Jiang Wang easily defeated three Soaring Dragon Realm experts with his new Sword of Humanity, while Bao Zhongqing backed down and left. Later, Chongxuan Sheng concluded that Wang Yiwu had made a move, though the intelligence he received left Jiang Wang puzzled.

• Jiang Wang defeated Yan Er and the Pingxi Twin Evils with two forms of his self-created Sword of Humanity, sparing their lives.
• Bao Zhongqing asked about Jiang Wang's sword technique, then left after trading insults with Chongxuan Sheng.
• Chongxuan Sheng had Bao Zhongqing's gifts carried inside and told Jiang Wang and Shi Si that Wang Yiwu had made his move.
• Chongxuan Sheng's Shadow Guards delivered intelligence stating that Wang Yiwu had repeatedly attacked Bao Zhongqing's businesses the previous day.

Chongxuan Sheng explained how Wang Yiwu had used Bao Zhongqing’s visit to bait him into an alliance, and how he had turned the scheme aside. The chapter ended with Wang Yiwu questioning whether he had really failed to scheme against Chongxuan Sheng.

• Chongxuan Sheng explained that Wang Yiwu had pressured Bao Zhongqing into approaching him, hoping to make an alliance damage his standing in the Chongxuan Family succession struggle.
• Jiang Wang and Shi Si understood why Chongxuan Sheng had rudely rejected Bao Zhongqing, while Jiang Wang wondered whether Bao’s anger and motives were genuine.
• Chongxuan Sheng argued that Bao Zhongqing had still achieved his aim of striking back at Wang Yiwu, even if his supplies strengthened Chongxuan Sheng.
• Wang Yiwu asked Wen Lianmu whether he had truly failed to scheme against Chongxuan Sheng despite offending Bao Zhongqing.

Wen Lianmu admitted that Chongxuan Sheng had outmaneuvered his plan, and he and Wang Yiwu prepared to study their opponent more closely. In the Great Void Illusion Realm, Jiang Wang continued climbing the Soaring Dragon rankings as Niu Hanxun entered a match hoping to break into the top hundred.

• Wen Lianmu acknowledged that Chongxuan Sheng had seen through his plan and asked Wang Yiwu to obtain records about the War of Sun Extinction and the Qi-Yang military situation.
• Jiang Wang reached 8,650 Merit and rank 101 at the Soaring Dragon Realm level after winning a net total of one hundred battles.
• Jiang Wang launched the Sword Discussion Platform again, deciding that concealing his strength mattered less than testing his growing combat ability.
• Niu Hanxun's account showed how he had used the Great Void Illusion Realm and military service to rise from a Wandering Vein cultivator to a captain.
• Niu Hanxun began a match in an attempt to enter the Soaring Dragon Realm top hundred, facing a young man with a sword at his waist.

Jiang Wang charged through the Great Void Illusion Realm, defeating Niu Hanxun, Mo Zhu, and many other opponents with the Eight-Sound Flame Sparrow and his newly formed Sword of Humanity. As he climbed into the top twenty, the fights grew harder, and he discovered a secret he had never noticed before.

• Jiang Wang overwhelmed Niu Hanxun with the Eight-Sound Flame Sparrow and defeated him before he could launch an attack.
• Mo Zhu entered the Sword Discussion Platform with his Mechanism Battle Axe, but Jiang Wang pierced him with Old General's Twilight.
• Jiang Wang defeated opponents in succession, advancing past the top fifty and into the top twenty.
• Chongxuan Sheng avoided interrupting Jiang Wang while he trained and refined his fighting style in the Great Void Illusion Realm.
• Jiang Wang discovered a secret during his uninterrupted stretch of battles.

Jiang Wang fought a youth in flowery robes in the Great Void Illusion Realm, where the opponent’s extraordinary command of water overwhelmed his techniques. The battle left Jiang Wang trapped with his opponent inside a water-filled cage.

• Jiang Wang climbed to seventh place in the Soaring Dragon Realm Sword Discussions after recovering and training between matches.
• Jiang Wang opened the fight with Five-Qi Tiger Binding and the Sea of Flame Flowers, but the youth countered with nine coordinated Water Dragons.
• Jiang Wang used Old General's Twilight to break apart the Water Dragons, but the youth turned them into scalding vapor that covered Jiang Wang in blisters.
• Jiang Wang raised a Vine Snake Wall to buy time, then used Eight-Sound Flame Sparrows to push back the vapor and attack.
• The youth disrupted the Flame Sparrows, unleashed a flood that submerged the Sword Discussion Ground, and trapped both fighters inside a square cage of water.

Jiang Wang defeated the Youth in Flowery Robes in the Great Void Illusion Realm by using Jealous Fire to exploit his opponent’s weakness. He learned that Dugu Wudi’s promotion had earned him the Great Void Six Directions Cultivators title, granting rewards and an extra tier of Dao Evolution Platform effects.

• The Youth in Flowery Robes filled the Sword Discussion Ground with water and crushed Jiang Wang’s Wood Element Dao Arts under overwhelming pressure.
• Jiang Wang raised a Sword Circle to withstand the water, then cast Jealous Fire and stirred fierce jealousy in the Youth in Flowery Robes.
• Jiang Wang used the momentary drop in water pressure to strike the Youth in Flowery Robes with Sun Moon and Stars Sword, winning the duel.
• Jiang Wang reflected that Jealous Fire had succeeded by exploiting his opponent’s weakness and reconsidered the value of studying established Daoist Arts.
• The Great Void Illusion Realm announced that Dugu Wudi had advanced to sixth place in Soaring Dragon and entered the ranks of the Great Void Six Directions Cultivators.
• Jiang Wang learned that the title granted Merit and Dharma rewards and temporarily raised the effective tier of his Dao Evolution Platform by one.

Jiang Wang spent his Great Void Merit improving two Daoist Arts after earning the title of Great Void Six Directions Cultivator. He then attended the burial of Xu Fang, whose remains Xu Xiangan had arranged to inter.

• Guang Shu brooded over losing a match, rejected his mother's comfort, and vowed not to remain weak.
• Jiang Wang used his Merit to raise Sea of Flame Flowers and Crown of Thorns to Grade A lower-tier, while Five-Qi Tiger Binding gained only a small improvement and Remembrance remained unchanged.
• Jiang Wang wondered whether winning the Blessed Land challenge would reveal its secret.
• Jiang Wang left his room to attend Xu Fang's burial, after the Qi Emperor and Jiang Wuliang remained silent and others avoided arranging it.
• Xu Xiangan paid for Xu Fang's remains to be interred, saying a renowned man should receive a proper burial.

Jiang Wang and Xu Xiangan left Green Cliff Academy to arrange Xu Fang’s burial, after Xu Xiangan clashed with Dean Liu over his advance pay. They headed for Old Zhang’s Coffin Shop, leaving Xu Xiangan’s poem on the academy wall.

• Xu Xiangan argued with Dean Liu over drawing on his teaching stipend, which he had already advanced thirty years into the future.
• Xu Xiangan told Jiang Wang they could leave once Xu Fang’s coffin was ready on Funeral Street and insisted he would cover the funeral costs himself.
• Before leaving Green Cliff Academy, Xu Xiangan wrote a poem criticizing Dean Liu and the academy on the courtyard wall.
• On the way out, Xu Xiangan worried that the poem might damage Dean Liu’s reputation and considered returning to erase it.
• Jiang Wang persuaded Xu Xiangan not to go back, and they continued toward Old Zhang’s Coffin Shop on Little Lian Bridge.

Xu Xiangan bought a coffin and paper dolls for his poor kinsman, arranging to pay for them later through Green Cliff Villa. Jiang Wang noticed a suspicious peddler repeatedly following them along Little Lian Bridge.

• Xu Xiangan inspected the golden-thread nanmu coffin Old Zhang had made and asked him to find men to carry it.
• Xu Xiangan admitted he had no money with him and gave Old Zhang his seal, promising Green Cliff Villa would pay the balance.
• Jiang Wang questioned whether Old Dean Liu would cover the bill, and Xu Xiangan said the academy would protect its reputation.
• Xu Xiangan bought paper dolls on credit from a middle-aged shopkeeper and joked that he would bring him repeat business.
• Jiang Wang recognized a peddler following them by the shallow diagonal slit in one of his boots.