Recaps

Lu Ye returned to the Nine Provinces after two years in the Blood Refining World, bringing a million Battle Merit and plans to help the Crimson Blood Sacred Land again. After Yiyi warned him that the Nine Provinces were full of the Insect Race, he encountered a vast swarm and fled.

• Lu Ye reached the Nine Provinces at Liyuan and learned from his Battlefield Mark that he had earned one million Battle Merit.
• Lu Ye received Yiyi's message and learned that the Insect Race had overrun the Nine Provinces.
• Lu Ye summoned a Fire Phoenix to attack a swarm of mosquito-like Insect Race, but they devoured its Spiritual Power and weakened it.
• Lu Ye saw more Insect Race converging from below and fled until he shook off the pursuing swarm.
• Lu Ye found a concealed spot, descended, and hid his aura.

Lu Ye returned to the Nine Provinces and learned that a devastating Bug Disaster had erupted while he was away, forcing cultivators across the rival camps to unite against the Insect Race. After updating himself on the crisis and disguising his identity, he traveled across Liyuan and chose to help Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators fleeing an insect.

• Lu Ye saw that the once-green Liyuan had become desolate and learned from Yiyi that the Insect Race had emerged from underground after an earthquake two years earlier.
• Lu Ye learned that the Bug Disaster had swept across the Nine Provinces, driven cultivators to abandon the Cloud River Battlefield, and made insect hunting a major source of Battle Merit.
• Lu Ye discovered that Xiao Xinghe led Team Ding Nine, which was defending Red River City, and told Yiyi he would return to Vast Sky City before meeting them.
• Yiyi relayed Lu Ye's return to Team Ding Nine, and Xiao Xinghe led the team out of the city to fight insects.
• Lu Ye disguised himself as a Sword Cultivator and traveled across Liyuan, killing insects and gaining Battle Merit.
• Lu Ye encountered Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators fleeing a mantis-like insect and decided to help them, reflecting on how his experiences in the Blood Refining World had changed his view of the rival camp.

Lu Ye, still using Li Taibai’s identity, saved Ying Wuji’s squad from a Divine Sea Realm Mantis Insect Race creature. Ying Wuji and the surviving cultivators recognized Li Taibai, who revealed that he had returned and reached the Divine Sea Realm.

• Ying Wuji and his companions struggled against a Divine Sea Realm Mantis Insect Race creature after their Body Cultivator was killed and another squad member was badly wounded.
• Ying Wuji refused to abandon his companions and charged the Mantis Insect Race, calling for the others to run as it prepared to kill him.
• Lu Ye intervened, killed the Mantis Insect Race with a single sword strike, and saved Ying Wuji.
• Ying Wuji thanked the stranger, while the Spell Cultivator recognized him as Li Taibai, whom he had believed dead.
• Ying Wuji was astonished to meet Li Taibai and learn that he had reached the Divine Sea Realm; Lu Ye confirmed his identity.

Lu Ye, disguised as Li Taibai, reunited with Lin Yue after rescuing Ying Wuji's squad and learned that insect disasters had left Nine Provinces short of Divine Sea Realm cultivators. Lin Yue requisitioned him as Dark Moon Forest Pass's new Junior Pass Master, and he traveled back with her while she explained the crisis.

• Ying Wuji's surviving squad members thanked Li Taibai for rescuing them, and Lin Yue arrived after receiving their distress message.
• Lin Yue recognized Li Taibai and was shocked that he had reached the Divine Sea Realm; Lu Ye attributed his advancement to a fortunate opportunity.
• Lin Yue warned Lu Ye that insect disasters had ravaged Nine Provinces and asked him to accompany her to Dark Moon Forest Pass.
• Lin Yue used her Guard Token to requisition Li Taibai, and he accepted rather than start a conflict.
• Lin Yue appointed Li Taibai Junior Pass Master, explaining that Zhang Kun had been transferred and the pass needed another Divine Sea Realm cultivator.
• Lu Ye, Lin Yue, Ying Wuji, and the others flew toward Dark Moon Forest Pass as Lin Yue explained the situation in Nine Provinces.

Lu Ye returned to the Nine Provinces amid a two-year Bug Disaster and was recruited by Lin Yue to serve at Dark Moon Forest Pass under his Li Taibai identity. After Yu Daiwei discovered his return, she informed the Venerable Lord and set out to capture him.

• Lin Yue told Lu Ye that the Insect Race had forced the Vast Sky Alliance and Myriad Demon Ridge to suspend their conflict while cultivators struggled to defend the Nine Provinces.
• Lin Yue brought Lu Ye to Dark Moon Forest Pass and offered him Zhang Kun's vacant residence while arranging his appointment as Junior Pass Master.
• Lu Ye decided to use his Li Taibai identity to join Myriad Demon Ridge, then went to the Heaven's Mystery Hall and encountered Ying Wuji.
• In Lei Province, Yu Daiwei noticed that Lu Yiye's Battlefield Mark had become contactable and told the Venerable Lord that he had returned.
• The Venerable Lord ordered Yu Daiwei to bring Lu Ye to him, and Yu Daiwei began working out how to locate and capture Lu Ye.

Yu Daiwei tracked Lu Yiye toward Soldier Province while Taishan planned to use Lu Ye to establish Chaos and end the Bug Disaster. At the Battle Merit Pavilion, Lu Ye discovered a new treasure that constantly changed into different sabers.

• Yu Daiwei used a Tracking Compass to locate Lu Yiye and headed toward Soldier Province.
• Taishan planned to bring Lu Ye to establish Chaos, resolve the Bug Disaster, and create a third faction in the Nine Provinces.
• Lu Ye spent most of his Merit on cultivation supplies and artifacts, then visited the Battle Merit Pavilion and greeted the Gold and Silver Two Dragons.
• Lu Ye replenished the God Extinguishing Sword and noticed several new Stone Platforms in the Battle Merit Pavilion.
• Lu Ye saw a plain-looking saber transform into black fluid and repeatedly change into different sabers, prompting him to inspect its information.

Lu Ye exchanged five hundred thousand battle merits for the Soul Severing Saber and merged it with the Crag Mountain Saber, only for the Soul Artifact to dissolve the saber’s restrictions. As he discovered that he could control the strange substance now infused in the blade, a bold idea came to him.

• Lu Ye inspected the newly appeared Soul Artifacts and chose the Soul Severing Saber because it could merge with the Crag Mountain Saber and let it wound an enemy’s divine soul.
• Lu Ye reluctantly spent five hundred thousand battle merits on the Soul Severing Saber and exchanged for ten Golden Spirit Signs before leaving the Battle Merit Pavilion.
• Lu Ye merged the Soul Severing Saber into the Crag Mountain Saber, where it formed a matching black outer layer.
• The Soul Severing Saber dissolved every restriction in the Crag Mountain Saber, reducing it from a Dharma Artifact to a blade with no restrictions.
• Lu Ye sensed the Soul Severing Saber’s substance inside the blade, found he could control it freely, and began to consider a bold idea.

Lu Ye discovered that he could control the black fluid from the Soul Severing Saber to build restrictions inside the Crag Mountain Saber, letting him customize its quality. He raised it to a Peak-Grade Magic Artifact and left its further advancement until he could reinforce its material.

• Lu Ye used his Divine Sense to test whether the black fluid could form restrictions within the Crag Mountain Saber and confirmed that it could.
• Lu Ye chose to prioritize Foundation Strengthening and Sharpness restrictions, supplemented by Heavy Pressure and two Proud Thorn restrictions.
• Lu Ye constructed the restrictions until the Crag Mountain Saber contained 180 of them and reached Peak-Grade Magic Artifact quality.
• Lu Ye decided not to advance the saber into a Spiritual Treasure yet because he needed time to adjust and its material might not withstand the change.
• Lu Ye channeled Spiritual Power into the saber, sensed its increased power and consumption, and examined its newly sharpened edge.

Lu Ye, serving as Li Taibai, became Junior Pass Master of Dark Moon Forest Pass and went to rescue cultivators besieged by Insect Race creatures. After killing the giant spider and clearing the swarm, he continued toward an Earth Rift where the creatures had emerged.

• Lin Yue brought Li Taibai his appointment order and sent him to aid cultivators facing Divine Sea Realm Insect Race creatures east of the pass.
• Lu Ye flew east and cut through the Insect Race creatures in his path with Sword Qi from his Sword Gourd.
• Lu Ye freed a surrounded group of cultivators by burning away the spider silk and killing the giant spider with Book Sword Art.
• Lu Ye helped the cultivators wipe out the remaining spiders, then the Vast Sky Alliance and Myriad Demon Ridge groups departed separately.
• Lu Ye continued onward and descended into an Earth Rift.

Lu Ye sent a clone toward Dark Moon Forest Pass while heading for Vast Sky City, where he was ambushed by Zhang Song of the fabricated Clear Moon Sect. Lu Ye overwhelmed the higher-ranked Body Cultivator and left him covered in living blood, though the source of Lu Ye’s uneasy sense of being watched remained unknown.

• Lu Ye created a Shadow Clone, equipped it with his Red Dragon Battle Robe, Sword Gourd, and supplies, and sent it toward Dark Moon Forest Pass while he traveled toward Vast Sky City.
• Lu Ye continued to feel watched as he flew, then encountered Zhang Song, who claimed to belong to the Clear Moon Sect and recognized him.
• Zhang Song used a false alliance signal to distract Lu Ye and launched a surprise punch, but Lu Ye blocked it with the Crag Mountain Saber.
• Lu Ye’s powerful saber strikes broke through Zhang Song’s defenses and repeatedly injured his body and soul, preventing him from counterattacking effectively.
• Zhang Song tried to flee, but Lu Ye intercepted him and filled him with saber wounds before covering his body with blood that moved like living creatures.

Lu Ye captured Zhang Song after Zhang Song ambushed him, but Zhang Song died by a strange method before revealing who controlled him. Lu Ye traced the plot to Taishan and Yu Daiwei, then waited for Yu Daiwei to arrive so he could test his strength against her.

• Lu Ye bound Zhang Song with Blood Spirit Bind and demanded to know why he had attacked him.
• Zhang Song killed himself through a strange force in his mind before Lu Ye could stop him, recalling Chen Tianchui's death.
• Lu Ye concluded that Taishan was behind the ambush and suspected Yu Daiwei had tracked his return with a Tracking Compass.
• Lu Ye collected Zhang Song's belongings and corpse, then chose to wait rather than call the Sect Master or Qian Wudang for help.
• Yu Daiwei followed the Tracking Compass to Lu Ye, halted ten li away, and searched for the powerful expert she assumed was hiding nearby.

Lu Ye fought Yu Daiwei, who had come to capture him for the Venerable Lord, and revealed that his strength had grown far beyond her expectations. After breaking through her spell barrage with a burst of power, he survived her soul attack but was blasted away by her defensive Spiritual Treasure.

• Lu Ye told Yu Daiwei that he had killed Zhang Song and charged at her, revealing that he had reached Divine Sea Tier One.
• Yu Daiwei attacked Lu Ye with controlled spells, but he cut through them as he tried to close the distance.
• Yu Daiwei increased her power and halted Lu Ye's advance, while realizing he might truly have killed Zhang Song.
• Lu Ye released Essence Blood and activated the Blood Dye Spirit Pattern, abruptly surging forward through Yu Daiwei's spells.
• Yu Daiwei activated her defensive Spiritual Treasure to block Lu Ye's saber strike and sent a Soul Secret Technique at him.
• Lu Ye's Soul Suppressing Tower suppressed the soul attack, but Yu Daiwei's Spiritual Treasure blocked his next slash and blasted him away.

Lu Ye fought Yu Daiwei to a standstill, learned that Taishan wanted to meet with him, and refused to go until he was ready. He returned to Vast Sky City during the Bug Disaster and found Cheng Xiu handling affairs at the Law Enforcement Division.

• Lu Ye and Yu Daiwei fought through the air until Yu Daiwei called off the battle, recognizing that she could not capture him.
• Lu Ye told Yu Daiwei he would meet Taishan later and warned her not to keep pursuing him; he then left, and Yu Daiwei reported the encounter to the Venerable Lord.
• Lu Ye confirmed Yu Daiwei had not followed him, dispersed the Blood Dye Spirit Pattern, and continued to Vast Sky City.
• Lu Ye found the Sect Master's courtyard empty, then went to the Law Enforcement Division and encountered Cheng Xiu, who explained that Qian Wudang had left him to handle its affairs.

After returning to Vast Sky City, Lu Ye reported his safe return, gathered supplies, and began refining materials. Qian Wudang then assigned him to refine Explosive Fire Spirit Stones to aid the Nine Provinces during the Bug Disaster.

• Lu Ye told Cheng Xiu he had escaped a Secret Realm after being trapped for two years, and Cheng Xiu explained that Xiao Xinghe had taken over as captain of Team Ding Nine.
• Cheng Xiu authorized Lu Ye to requisition refining materials, which Lu Ye collected before returning to his empty courtyard.
• Lu Ye sent messages to Second Senior Sister, his master, and the Sect Master, assuring them he was safe and learning that the Main Sect was protected with help from the Purple Star Dao Palace.
• After three days of refining, Lu Ye answered Qian Wudang's summons and reported that Yu Daiwei, a Divine Sea Tier Eight cultivator, had captured him under orders from a mysterious Venerable Lord.
• Qian Wudang acknowledged Lu Ye's advancement to the Divine Sea Realm and assigned him to refine as many Explosive Fire Spirit Stones as possible for the Bug Disaster.

Lu Ye showed Qian Wudang the Shared Breath, Connected Branches Formation Plate, and was ordered to refine it for the Bug Disaster while continuing to make Explosive Fire Spirit Stones. He began producing both items and cultivating, while his Clone Li Taibai kept watch at Dark Moon Forest Pass.

• Lu Ye showed Qian Wudang a formation plate that linked cultivators’ auras and let them borrow strength.
• Qian Wudang ordered Lu Ye to prioritize refining the plates, and Lu Ye persuaded him to let him continue refining Explosive Fire Spirit Stones as well.
• Cheng Xiu delivered supplies to Lu Ye’s courtyard and began collecting finished products every three days.
• Lu Ye refined both items while monitoring Li Taibai, who continued protecting Dark Moon Forest Pass alongside Lin Yue.
• Lu Ye cultivated with a Golden Spirit Sign as the Talent Tree absorbed its energy.

At the Vast Sky Alliance’s grand council, Soldier Province’s leaders discussed the worsening Bug Disaster and their failure to find the Insect Nest. Chao Ye revealed a powerful new Formation Plate, and his pointed glance at Qian Wudang suggested the Quartermaster Division had not created it.

• Pang Zhen opened the grand council after Tang Yifeng arrived late from exploring an Earth Rift.
• The elders and Division Masters discussed Soldier Province’s troubles, including the Bug Disaster, mortal starvation, and fruitless searches for the Insect Nest.
• Tang Yifeng reported that he had descended ten thousand zhang underground but had found only Insect Race creatures before retreating.
• As the council seemed ready to end, Chao Ye produced several Formation Plates and demonstrated their Shared Breath, Connected Branches Formation.
• Chao Ye said the Quartermaster Division lacked the talent to create the Formation Plates and glanced pointedly at Qian Wudang.

At the grand council meeting, Chao Ye challenged Qian Wudang over control of the Shared Breath, Connected Branches Formation Plate, which the Quartermaster Division could not reliably reproduce. The Sect Master learned that Lu Yiye had refined it, and Qian Wudang prepared to discuss transferring its distribution after the Law Enforcement Division had equipped its soldiers.

• Chao Ye accused Qian Wudang of keeping a strategically important Formation Plate from the Quartermaster Division, while Qian Wudang mocked the division's failed attempts to reproduce it.
• Chao Ye threatened to withhold supplies and tried to fight Qian Wudang, but Pang Zhen ordered them to stop and Chao Ye sat back down.
• Pang Zhen explained that the Quartermaster Division wanted control partly because its research branch had produced little, and because Chao Ye had previously failed to claim the Explosive Fire Spirit Stone for his division.
• Pang Zhen told the Sect Master that Lu Yiye had refined both the Formation Plate and the Explosive Fire Spirit Stone, and the Sect Master said the Plate's value depended on whether it could be widely distributed.
• Chao Ye pointed out that the Law Enforcement Division and Order Transmission Division had already received Formation Plates, and Qian Wudang acknowledged that his soldiers had been equipped and that he could now transfer distribution authority.

Pang Zhen assigned the Shared Breath, Connected Branches Formation Plates to the Quartermaster Office while keeping Lu Ye in the Law Enforcement Division. Lu Ye then told Tang Yifeng that Eldest Senior Brother was alive in the Blood Refining World, leaving the Sect Master overjoyed but resolved to keep the news secret.

• Pang Zhen gave the Quartermaster Office authority to allocate Lu Ye's Formation Plates and ordered that their origin remain confidential.
• Tang Yifeng visited Lu Ye and advised him to learn from Eldest Senior Brother's fate by putting his own safety first.
• Lu Ye told Tang Yifeng that he had met Eldest Senior Brother, Feng Wujiang, in the Blood Refining World.
• Lu Ye described how Feng Wujiang had established Crimson Blood Sacred Land and led Human cultivators against the Blood Race with the aid of more than seventy powerful seniors.
• Tang Yifeng accepted that Feng Wujiang was alive and agreed to keep Lu Ye's account from everyone else.

Lu Ye told the Sect Master about the Blood Refining World, Taishan’s secret faction, and the people he controlled, then continued earning Battle Merit by refining spirit stones and formation plates. He requested leave from Qian Wudang, was refused, and left Vast Sky City anyway.

• Lu Ye told the Sect Master he planned to grow stronger and return to the Blood Refining World before the Blood Race attacked Crimson Blood Sacred Land again.
• Lu Ye explained that Taishan had once served Eldest Senior Brother, wanted him to establish a third faction, and secretly controlled the Chen Family and Zhang Song.
• The Sect Master took Zhang Song’s corpse and said he would investigate Taishan’s hidden forces in secret.
• Lu Ye continued refining Explosive Fire Spirit Stones and formation plates, accumulating Battle Merit and advancing to Tier Two of the Divine Sea Realm.
• Lu Ye asked Qian Wudang for leave, but Qian Wudang ordered him to stay in Vast Sky City.
• Lu Ye ignored Qian Wudang’s warning and flew away.

Lu Ye traveled to Red River City to visit his senior brothers and former squadmates, where he reunited with Squad Ding Nine and discovered who had become its sixth member. The chapter ended as he met the woman waiting to welcome him.

• Lu Ye flew through the devastated Nine Provinces, occasionally helping cultivators fight the Insect Race as he headed toward Red River City.
• Lu Ye met Shi Yuan, the Divine Sea Realm cultivator guarding Red River City, and explained that he had come to visit his relatives in Squad Ding Nine.
• Lu Ye reunited with Li Baxian, Xiao Xinghe, Lin Yinxiu, Feng Yuechan, Jujia, and Amber, while his senior brothers remarked on his rapid advancement.
• Li Baxian hinted that another squad member was preparing a welcome feast, and the group went to meet her.
• Lu Ye recognized the squad's sixth member and received her teasing welcome.

Lu Ye reunited with Hua Ci and his friends in Red River City, sharing a night of foodless drinking before a Bug Tide interrupted them. He left to fight, slaughtered the Divine Sea Realm insects, and continued on as the city’s cultivators charged the remaining swarm.

• Lu Ye reunited with Hua Ci, Yiyi, Xiao Xinghe, Li Baxian, and their companions after nearly three years apart.
• Lu Ye promised to take his friends to the place where he had been trapped, then shared his wine with them as they caught up.
• A Bug Tide arrived at Red River City, and Hua Ci summoned her Golden Toad before joining the defense with the others.
• Lu Ye charged into the swarm and killed its Divine Sea Realm insects, splitting the Bug Tide apart.
• Shi Yuan withdrew the city’s Protective Grand Array and led the cultivators to attack the weakened swarm as Lu Ye departed.

Lu Ye reunited with his clone, Li Taibai, only to discover Liu Yuemei had secretly followed him and witnessed the clone’s return. Liu Yuemei and Lu Ye both resolved to kill each other, and their battle began with Lu Ye pressing through her spells.

• Lu Ye traveled to the front line to reclaim Li Taibai so he could refine and advance his clone.
• Li Taibai crossed into the Earth Rift and reunited with Lu Ye, who absorbed him and took his Red Dragon Battle Robe and Sword Gourd.
• Liu Yuemei, who had secretly followed Li Taibai, revealed herself after witnessing him vanish into Lu Ye.
• Lu Ye recognized Liu Yuemei and recalled their past grievances, while Liu Yuemei realized Li Taibai was Lu Ye’s clone and decided to kill them both.
• Lu Ye charged Liu Yuemei as she retreated and unleashed spells, but he cut through her attacks and rapidly closed the distance.

Lu Ye used the Combat Platform to trap Liu Yuemei in a fight to the death, then unleashed Essence Blood, Blood Dye, and Beast Transformation to overcome her superior cultivation. The chapter left him charging at Liu Yuemei with Amber urging him to fight through their bond.

• Liu Yuemei intensified her lethal lightning attacks, and Amber took a bolt meant for Lu Ye before he caught it and resumed advancing.
• Lu Ye realized Divine Sea Realm Insect Race were approaching and decided he had to end the fight before Liu Yuemei could escape.
• Lu Ye threw the Combat Platform at Liu Yuemei, transporting them both inside while the Insect Race swarmed out of the Earth Rift.
• Liu Yuemei recognized Lu Ye's Beast Transformation Secret Technique as he merged with Amber and took on a ferocious, beastlike appearance.
• Lu Ye activated Blood Dye with a drop of Essence Blood, greatly increasing his speed as he charged Liu Yuemei, while Amber urged him to use it in battle.

Lu Ye pressed his advantage against Liu Yuemei on the Combat Platform, with Yiyi disrupting her from the sidelines. As Liu Yuemei’s protective Spiritual Treasure weakened, she deliberately eased her attacks to lure Lu Ye into a trap, and he sensed the danger but continued advancing.

• Lu Ye closed on Liu Yuemei through her spells and struck her protective Spiritual Treasure with Consecutive Slash, while her lightning shattered his defensive Spirit Patterns.
• Yiyi revealed herself and harassed Liu Yuemei with spells, giving Lu Ye an opening to approach again.
• Lu Ye adapted to his enhanced speed and strength, repeatedly striking Liu Yuemei and dimming her Spiritual Treasure’s protective light.
• Liu Yuemei realized Lu Ye could threaten her and decided to fight to the death rather than let him keep attacking on his terms.
• Liu Yuemei deliberately weakened her offense to bait Lu Ye, who suspected a trap but kept advancing to end the fight quickly.

Lu Ye and Liu Yuemei shifted their duel into Lu Ye’s Divine Sea, where Liu Yuemei used her greater experience to attack his soul. Lu Ye turned the fight around by summoning the Soul Severing Saber, which took the familiar shape of his Crag Mountain Saber.

• Lu Ye saw Liu Yuemei unleash a Thunder Pool that hindered both of them, then realized she was using it to force a battle of Divine Souls.
• Liu Yuemei broke through Lu Ye’s defenses and entered his Divine Sea, where she attacked its waters and overwhelmed his inexperienced Soul Body.
• Lu Ye fought back with waves of Divine Soul Power, but Liu Yuemei intercepted his attacks and taunted him as she damaged his Divine Sea.
• Lu Ye remembered the Soul Severing Saber and summoned it into the Divine Sea, where it appeared as the Crag Mountain Saber and shattered Liu Yuemei’s soul slashes.