Chapter Summaries

Demon King Yangli revealed that the Confucian Sage's Manuscript was with Minister of War Zeng Shilin, and the Demon Emperor Sacred Ancestor transformed into a monster to investigate. Meanwhile, Zeng Anmin followed signs of Bai Ziqing's trail toward Two Rivers Prefecture, then realized someone had planted false Imperial City Department insignias to mislead him.

• Demon King Yangli told the Demon Emperor Sacred Ancestor that Qin Shouchang's daughter had named Zeng Shilin as the holder of the Confucian Sage's Manuscript.
• The Demon Emperor Sacred Ancestor transformed into an eight-armed, two-headed monster and set out, while Yangli headed toward the Minister's Residence.
• Zeng Anmin raced toward Two Rivers Prefecture with Bai Wanqing and found a freshly carved Imperial City Department insignia on a tree.
• Zeng Anmin followed more insignias to a fork in the mountain paths and chose the left route.
• Zeng Anmin realized the insignia could not have been carved by Bai Ziqing and concluded that someone was deliberately misleading him.

Zeng Anmin realized that the conspicuous Imperial City Department mark was meant to steer him toward Two Rivers Prefecture, and concluded that his father, Zeng Shilin, had taken Bai Ziqing and arranged for Lou Yingqi to protect him. He began to suspect his father had been preparing him for a crisis involving Demon Emperor Xiangliu.

• Zeng Anmin recognized that the Imperial City Department mark had been left conspicuously and could not have been carved by Bai Ziqing.
• Zeng Anmin reasoned that Si Zhongxiao would have killed Bai Ziqing rather than hold him hostage, and concluded that Zeng Shilin was the only person able to arrange the abduction.
• Bai Wanqing realized that if Zeng Shilin held Bai Ziqing, her brother was likely not in mortal danger, and urged Zeng Anmin to find him.
• Zeng Anmin agreed to head for Two Rivers Prefecture, then connected the destination to Lou Yingqi's appointment as Governor of Fengqi Road.
• Zeng Anmin concluded that Zeng Shilin had arranged Lou Yingqi's post to look after him and wondered whether his father had been preparing him for Demon Emperor Xiangliu.

Zeng Anmin deduced that Zeng Shilin and Master Xu had lured Demon Emperor Xiangliu toward the capital using Dean Qin and the stolen Dragon Survey Map, and rushed back to warn his father. At the Minister’s Residence, Concubine Lin sent Huzi away before returning to face Zeng Shilin, hoping he would wait for her.

• Zeng Anmin told Bai Wanqing that her brother would reach Two Rivers Prefecture, then hurried back to the capital alone.
• Zeng Anmin realized Dean Qin was Demon King Yangli and had faked his death to infiltrate the Demon Race and awaken Xiangliu.
• Zeng Anmin deduced that his father and Master Xu had deliberately let the Demon Race steal the Dragon Survey Map so it could serve as a medium for his Golden Tablet-derived Confucian attack against Xiangliu.
• Zeng Shilin sent Concubine Lin and Huzi away from the Minister’s Residence, then ordered the gates closed.
• Concubine Lin told Huzi to go to the Profound Formation Division and watched the carriage leave before returning to the Minister’s Residence for Zeng Shilin.

Concubine Lin returned to Zeng Shilin’s residence and chose to stay by his side as he prepared to face Xiangliu. Master Xu arrived to support him and revealed that he could bring Zeng Shilin back to life after the battle.

• Concubine Lin returned to Zeng Shilin and insisted on remaining with him, recalling how she had discovered his portrait of Eldest Lang’s birth mother.
• Master Xu appeared and said he had come to support Zeng Shilin and protect the capital’s citizens from the fight with Xiangliu.
• Zeng Shilin told Concubine Lin to stay inside, and Master Xu put her to sleep and carried her into the room.
• Zeng Shilin asked Master Xu to care for his wife and child, expecting to die after the battle.
• Master Xu revealed a seven-colored lotus root and said he would use it to reshape Zeng Shilin’s body and bring him back to life.

Zeng Shilin refused Master Xu’s offer to restore his body, insisting the lotus root be saved for Qin Shouchang, then confronted the Xiangliu Demon Emperor. After revealing that he had deliberately lured Xiangliu into awakening and that the Ancestral Dragon Diagram contained no true intent, Zeng Shilin unleashed a force that the diagram absorbed, leaving Xiangliu terrified that it was about to die.

• Zeng Shilin told Master Xu to reserve the lotus root for Qin Shouchang and gave him a letter to deliver to Quanfu after his death.
• Xiangliu broke into the Minister’s Residence, demanded the Confucian Sage’s Manuscript, and threatened to kill everyone there.
• Zeng Shilin revealed that he had deliberately given Xiangliu the Ancestral Dragon Diagram and awakened it, and that he had disguised all its true intent with Vast Righteous Qi.
• Zeng Shilin began rapidly aging as a mysterious force poured from him and was absorbed by the Ancestral Dragon Diagram.
• Qin Shouchang appeared as Zeng Shilin fell to the ground, while Xiangliu realized it might be about to die.

Zeng Shilin spent his remaining strength protecting Qin Shouchang and confronting the Xiangliu Demon Emperor, while Master Xu intervened as Xiangliu tried to strike. Xiangliu unleashed its thousand-zhang Dharma manifestation over the capital, leaving nearly everyone and every living thing unable to move, though Huzi remained unaffected.

• Zeng Shilin told Qin Shouchang that someone had to step forward, and Qin accepted his sacrifice before confronting Xiangliu.
• Xiangliu revealed the stolen Dragon Survey Map and accused Qin Shouchang and Zeng Shilin of buying time.
• Master Xu blocked Xiangliu from reaching Zeng Shilin and declared that he could still deal with the Demon Emperor Sacred Ancestor.
• Xiangliu unleashed its thousand-zhang Dharma manifestation, whose pressure immobilized the capital's citizens, Emperor Jianhong, Wang Dong, the Princess, and others.
• Huzi remained able to move among the immobilized disciples of the Profound Formation Division, while Yingchen discovered that his master was also trapped by the pressure.

Demon Emperor Xiangliu attacked the capital, and Master Xu rallied the city’s illusion arrays to hold back his devastating strike. Zeng Anmin raced home and saw his father, Zeng Shilin, rise into the sky beside Master Xu.

• Qin Shouchang and Zeng Shilin provoked Xiangliu, who unleashed a crimson beam toward the capital.
• Master Xu summoned the capital’s illusion arrays and used their power to meet Xiangliu’s attack with an azure light.
• Zeng Shilin told Qin Shouchang to keep Quanfu from reckless danger, then asked Master Xu to grant him dignity.
• Master Xu carried Zeng Shilin into the sky to stand beside him.
• Zeng Anmin hurried toward the capital, powered himself with Martial Arts Aura and Prismatic Spirit Stones, and reached the Minister’s Residence.
• Zeng Anmin saw Zeng Shilin rising into the air and cried out to his father.

Zeng Anmin returned to the capital and realized his father, Zeng Shilin, had joined Master Xu to lure out and destroy the Xiangliu Demon Emperor. Zeng Shilin unleashed the Dragon Survey Map and defeated the Demon Emperor, leaving his fate uncertain as the chapter ended.

• Zeng Anmin confronted Qin Shouchang in the courtyard and recognized that he had helped arrange the plan to draw out the Xiangliu Demon Emperor.
• Zeng Anmin realized his aged father, Zeng Shilin, was fighting alongside Master Xu and had knowingly accepted a fatal mission.
• The Xiangliu Demon Emperor attacked the capital, and Zeng Shilin activated the Dragon Survey Map with his final strength.
• The Dragon Survey Map's azure light swallowed the Xiangliu Demon Emperor and cleared the dark clouds over the capital.
• Master Xu bowed to Zeng Shilin and praised his sacrifice as the people of the capital recognized the battle's outcome.

Zeng Shilin sacrificed himself to destroy Xiangliu, then reconciled with Zeng Anmin as he died. The capital honored Zeng Shilin, while Zeng Anmin held his father through his final moments.

• Zeng Anmin grieved over Qin Shouchang's death as Xiangliu revealed he had survived the Dragon Survey Map's explosion by using the Demon Emperor Sacred Body.
• Zeng Shilin revealed that his plan had accounted for Xiangliu's defenses, while Xiangliu tried to summon the Ancestral Dragon Diagram and Zeng Anmin suppressed its phantom in his Sea of Consciousness Space.
• Zeng Shilin summoned his thousand-zhang Confucian Dharma Aspect and used his azure tablet to unleash a tidal wave of Vast Righteous Qi that disintegrated Xiangliu.
• As Zeng Shilin's body crumbled, he apologized to Zeng Anmin for hiding the burden and failing to fulfill his duties as a father; Zeng Anmin told him he had done nothing wrong.
• The people of the capital hailed Zeng Shilin, and Princess, Emperor Jianhong, and Chief Minister Li Zhen each acknowledged his sacrifice.
• Zeng Anmin pressed Zeng Shilin's hand against his face, and Zeng Shilin urged him to cherish himself before his hand fell and he died.

After Zeng Shilin died, Master Xu offered the Prismatic Lotus Root to resurrect either him or Qin Shouchang. Zeng Anmin chose to revive Dean Qin, and the chapter ended with Qin Shouchang awakening in a much younger body.

• Master Xu told Zeng Anmin that Zeng Shilin's final wish was for him to resurrect Qin Shouchang, and explained that the Prismatic Lotus Root could rebuild a dead person's body.
• Zeng Anmin chose to use the lotus root on Dean Qin, while Qin Wanyue begged Master Xu to use it on Uncle Zeng instead.
• Master Xu moved Qin Wanyue away and used the Prismatic Lotus Root to reconstruct Qin Shouchang's body as Zeng Anmin held her.
• Master Xu urged Qin Shouchang to imagine his appearance, and Qin Shouchang awakened in a youthful body.
• Master Xu gave Qin Shouchang clothes after he realized the resurrection had truly happened.

Zeng Anmin used the Time Golden Lotus to revive his father, Zeng Shilin, whose body was transformed and elevated to the Second Rank realm. Zeng Shilin decided to hide that he was alive so he could still receive a posthumous ducal title for killing the Demon Emperor.

• Qin Shouchang revived in a mortal body and learned that Zeng Shilin had died saving him, while Zeng Anmin asked everyone to leave so he could mourn his father alone.
• Zeng Anmin used the Time Golden Lotus on Zeng Shilin's corpse, creating a heavenly phenomenon that drew the attention of Master Xu, Dongfang Cang, and a colossal being beneath the South Sea.
• The golden lotus revived Zeng Shilin, who learned from Zeng Anmin that the Demon Emperor had died by his hand and Xiangliu was already dead.
• Zeng Shilin discovered that the lotus had transformed him into a Second Rank Sub-Sage, while Zeng Anmin gained golden wings.
• Zeng Shilin told Zeng Anmin to keep his survival secret so the Holy Dynasty would still posthumously grant him the title of Duke.

At Zeng Shilin’s funeral, Zeng Anmin received condolences from the Crown Prince, Princess, and the dynasty’s officials as Emperor Jianhong arrived to honor the man who had slain the Demon Emperor. The Emperor posthumously enfeoffed Zeng Shilin as Duke of Qi, granting him a fief and the posthumous title Wenqing.

• Zeng Anmin knelt in mourning as officials and commoners paid tribute to Zeng Shilin, while Concubine Lin grieved beside him.
• Little Fatty Crown Prince came to console Zeng Anmin and promised to ensure the people’s hearts would not grow cold.
• Princess arrived quietly and exchanged a brief, sorrowful glance with Zeng Anmin.
• Emperor Jianhong and Empress Bai arrived, and Emperor Jianhong praised Zeng Shilin’s sacrifice and merit.
• Si Zhongxiao proclaimed the decree posthumously enfeoffing Zeng Shilin as Duke of Qi, granting him a fief of three thousand households and the title Wenqing.

Zeng Shilin revived at his funeral after the Confucian Sage remade his golden body and accepted him as the Eighth Disciple. The Great Sage Dynasty celebrated his return and new status as a Lesser Sage, while he privately told Zeng Anmin that the Sage’s acceptance was real.

• Golden light poured from Zeng Shilin’s coffin, and a heavenly scroll announced that the Confucian Sage had remade his golden body and accepted him as the Eighth Disciple.
• A thousand-zhang golden Confucian Dharma Aspect appeared above the Minister’s Residence as Zeng Shilin thanked his master.
• Zeng Shilin rose from the coffin and greeted Emperor Jianhong, who recognized him as a second-rank Lesser Sage.
• Empress Bai urged that Zeng Shilin’s return be announced, and Emperor Jianhong declared a realm-wide celebration and general amnesty.
• The Minister’s Residence replaced its mourning decorations with red ones and held a celebration feast in Zeng Shilin’s honor.
• Zeng Anmin praised his father’s performance, but Zeng Shilin told him that the Confucian Sage’s acceptance was genuine.

After the Imperial Court renamed Zeng Anmin’s residence the Duke of Qi’s Mansion, he learned that the Confucian Sage had revealed ancient secrets to Zeng Shilin in a dream. Zeng Shilin explained the origins of the ancestral gods and identified the Xi Huang Diagram as the treasure behind Xi Huang’s victory, prompting Zeng Anmin to connect it to the Heavenly Dao Diagram.

• Zeng Anmin thanked Si Zhongxiao for installing the Duke of Qi’s Mansion plaque and gave him a pouch of silver.
• Zeng Anmin recalled Zeng Shilin’s account of meeting the Confucian Sage in a dream after using the golden lotus.
• Zeng Shilin revealed that the Confucian Sage had said the story of his ascension was false and described the Primal Ancestor God creating the Heavenly Dao and five ancestral gods.
• Zeng Anmin named the Dragon Ancestor, Phoenix Ancestor, Xi Huang, Dao Ancestor, and Taotie, and said Dongfang Cang had told him about them.
• Zeng Shilin explained that the Phoenix Ancestor and Dragon Ancestor attacked Xi Huang, who defeated them with the Xi Huang Diagram.
• Zeng Anmin recognized the Xi Huang Diagram as the Heavenly Dao Diagram, and Zeng Shilin warned him to keep his voice down.

Zeng Shilin explained the origins of the five Heavenly Dao Diagrams, the human race, the Demon Race, and the Dao Sect, then revealed that the Confucian Sage had taken him as a disciple to investigate a troubled Barbaric Mystery Realm. Zeng Anmin learned that his father had been chosen because the Confucian Sage could contact him through his Golden Vast Righteous Qi.

• Zeng Shilin explained that the five Ancestor Gods created their Heavenly Dao Diagrams, and Xi Huang killed the Phoenix Ancestor after capturing him.
• Zeng Shilin recounted how Xi Huang, the Dragon Ancestor, and the Dao Ancestor fought for a century before dispersing into the human race, the Demon Race, and the Dao Sect, while Taotie became four Barbaric Gods.
• Zeng Shilin explained that the Confucian Sage reclaimed the Ancestral Dragon Diagram from the Demon Emperor, after which the diagram became known as the Dragon Survey Map.
• Zeng Shilin revealed that the Confucian Sage vanished while suppressing a Barbaric God in the eastern Heavenly Collapse.
• Zeng Shilin told Zeng Anmin that the Confucian Sage contacted him through his Golden Vast Righteous Qi and made him a disciple so he could investigate the troubled Barbaric Mystery Realm in the Southern Savage Lands.

Zeng Anmin told Zeng Shilin about Unity of Knowledge and Action, inspiring his father to rethink the Confucian path and begin practicing what he preached. Later, Zeng Anmin returned to the Imperial City Department, where Bai Ziqing and the officials eagerly welcomed him and asked about the battle against Xiangliu.

• Zeng Shilin told Zeng Anmin that his master had instructed him to cultivate further before entering the Barbaric Mystery Realm and to seek his own path to the First Rank.
• Zeng Anmin described Unity of Knowledge and Action, and Zeng Shilin became excited as he connected it to inner moral awareness and the inseparability of knowledge and action.
• Zeng Shilin decided to rest instead of continuing to talk, while Zeng Anmin wondered whether his father might attain enlightenment at Dragon Field.
• Zeng Anmin returned to the Imperial City Department, where he heard Bai Ziqing regret missing the battle against Xiangliu because Qin Shouchang had held him up.
• The officials crowded around Zeng Anmin and asked him to tell them about the Duke slaying Xiangliu.

Zeng Anmin reunited with Bai Ziqing, who celebrated his new authority in the Imperial City Department after earning merit in Xiangliu’s death. Their conversation was interrupted by news that Xiang Wangxian had been murdered, while Zeng Anmin discovered his Spiritual Sense had reached perfection and he could begin breaking through to Fourth Rank Martial Artist.

• Zeng Anmin teased Bai Ziqing about earning merit, then promised to ask his father to take Bai Ziqing as an adopted son to make up for the 138 blows he had endured on the journey.
• Bai Ziqing said he planned to practice chess before Huang Shi rushed in and reported that Commander Xiang had died.
• Huang Shi said Xiang Wangxian had been killed with a single blade through the throat.
• A runner summoned Bai Ziqing to meet Emperor Jianhong, and Bai Ziqing left while telling Zeng Anmin to focus on the spring examinations.
• Zeng Anmin felt his Sea of Consciousness Space stir and realized his Spiritual Sense had reached perfection, allowing him to begin breaking through to Fourth Rank Martial Artist.

Zeng Anmin began copying the Ancestral Dragon Diagram with his Spiritual Sense to advance toward the Fourth Rank, but could manage only one scale before becoming exhausted. After Zeng Shilin returned to the Duke’s Mansion, he urged Zeng Anmin to prepare for the Spring Examination, and their exchange was interrupted by news that Dean Qin had arrived.

• Zeng Anmin used his Spiritual Sense to draw one scale of the Ancestral Dragon Diagram, then stopped to rest because continuing could collapse his Sea of Consciousness Space.
• Zeng Anmin estimated that drawing one scale each day could let him reach the Fourth Rank within half a year and attain Third Rank combat power.
• Zeng Anmin watched Zeng Shilin fly into the Duke’s Mansion and envied his ability to soar through the air.
• Zeng Shilin told Zeng Anmin to prepare well for the Spring Examination and practice Unity of Knowledge and Action.
• Zeng Anmin teased Zeng Shilin by asking him to touch his face, bringing back embarrassing memories for his father.
• A servant announced that Dean Qin had come to see Zeng Shilin, and Zeng Anmin and Zeng Shilin turned toward the entrance.

Qin Shouchang visited Zeng Shilin with Qin Wanyue to discuss her marriage to Zeng Anmin, while showing off his restored youth. Zeng Anmin accompanied Qin Wanyue to his courtyard, where they spoke about his decision to revive her father, before a servant summoned her back.

• Qin Shouchang told Zeng Shilin that Master Xu had restored his youth, and Zeng Shilin tried to hide his envy.
• Qin Shouchang asked when the Zeng family would bring betrothal gifts for Qin Wanyue, and Zeng Shilin sent Zeng Anmin and Qin Wanyue out so the elders could discuss the matter.
• Zeng Anmin took Qin Wanyue to his courtyard, where she confessed she had been thinking about his choice to revive her father and had longed to see him.
• Zeng Anmin embraced Qin Wanyue, but a servant interrupted them by summoning her to see Zeng Shilin.

Zeng Anmin’s engagement to Qin Wanyue was arranged as Zeng Shilin prepared to lead the campaign against Myriad Demon Mountain. When Xu Mingxin examined the couple’s Eight Characters, he found that Zeng Anmin’s were those of a dead man.

• Zeng Shilin and Qin Shouchang settled Zeng Anmin’s engagement to Qin Wanyue, with the wedding postponed until after the demon campaign.
• Zeng Anmin learned that Zeng Shilin would lead the campaign and that his Mandarin Duck Formation would support the attack on Myriad Demon Mountain.
• Xu Mingxin arrived at the Duke’s Mansion to examine the Eight Characters and was startled to find Zeng Anmin was the one getting engaged.
• Xu Mingxin warned Zeng Anmin that Sai Chuxue had feelings for him, while Zeng Anmin said his marriage to Qin Wanyue would be delayed.
• Xu Mingxin calculated the Eight Characters, spat blood, and declared that Zeng Anmin’s were the Eight Characters of a dead man.