Chapter Summaries

Natsume fought the White Heron City Lord while Kuramitsuha identified the Yellow Spring soul arts afflicting him and explained how to counter several of them. As Natsume’s soul power dwindled and the Heavenly Beard Cube’s suppression neared its end, he offered to rescue Kuramitsuha’s clansmen in exchange for learning her forbidden techniques, leaving her to decide whether to agree.

• Natsume realized the City Lord’s many secret arts were disrupting his Shikigami Form, and Kuramitsuha recognized them as techniques developed by Yellow Spring.
• Kuramitsuha explained the effects and countermeasures of the City Lord’s soul arts, helping Natsume land repeated strikes with the Kunwu Blade.
• The White Heron City Lord intensified his offensive forbidden arts to drain Natsume’s soul power and outlast his Shikigami Form.
• Kuramitsuha warned that Natsume’s soul power was rapidly depleting and the Heavenly Beard Cube’s suppression had less than a minute remaining.
• Natsume demanded that Kuramitsuha teach him her forbidden techniques and promised to rescue her clansmen from the Yellow Spring Realm in return.

Natsume learned Kuramitsuha’s Yomi forbidden arts instantly and used them to counter the White Heron City Lord’s techniques while the Heavenly Beard Cube suppressed him. As the city lord weakened, Natsume prepared to finish the fight and force him to reveal where he learned so many secret arts.

• Kuramitsuha reluctantly passed Natsume many Yomi soul forbidden arts, and Natsume mastered them with the system’s help.
• Natsume struck the White Heron City Lord with Path-Laying Incapacitation, weakening his Dharma body and shocking both him and Kuramitsuha.
• The White Heron City Lord unleashed several forbidden arts, and Natsume countered with the same techniques, causing the suppressed city lord to take greater damage.
• Natsume claimed he knew every secret art the city lord knew, while the city lord insisted he had learned them from death-row prisoners.
• Kuramitsuha told Natsume the city lord was lying and warned that the Heavenly Beard Cube’s suppression would end in under thirty seconds.
• Natsume declared that thirty seconds was enough, raised the Divine Blade, and charged the White Heron City Lord.

Natsume defeated the White Heron City Lord after overwhelming him with forbidden arts, then killed him when he refused to answer questions. As Natsume tried to deal with the remains, a mysterious white crystal appeared and revealed itself as a Divine Artifact.

• Natsume used the Heavenly Beard Cube, Wraith Wheel, and Kunwu Blade to exhaust the White Heron City Lord and shatter his Mind Spirit Method manifestation.
• The White Heron City Lord accepted his defeat but refused to give Natsume information, so Natsume killed him with Hu Sinatuo.
• Natsume waited for the city lord's soul to emerge, but a pale-white diamond-shaped crystal appeared instead.
• Natsume struck the crystal with Hu Sinatuo, but the blade was knocked away without leaving a mark.
• Natsume and Kuramitsuha realized the crystal was a Divine Artifact.

Natsume tried to flee after the White Heron City Lord revealed a divine artifact, but Dragon Palace City sealed off the [Progenitor Blood Vessel] and trapped him. Just as the City Lord moved to imprison him in the artifact’s core, Natsume summoned the [Yellow Spring Seal] and hurled it at the core, causing the two divine artifacts to collide.

• Natsume fled with the chakra torrent, but the White Heron City Lord used Dragon Palace City to sever and seal the [Progenitor Blood Vessel], cutting off his escape.
• The City Lord immobilized Natsume with the artifact’s laws and revealed that Dragon Palace City was a divine artifact controlled through its core; he intended to seal Natsume rather than kill him.
• Natsume realized Dragon Palace City had been a trap and accused the City Lord of hiding his power, while the City Lord prepared to imprison him in the core.
• Natsume summoned Kuramitsuha and launched the [Yellow Spring Seal] at the [Divine Artifact Core].
• The [Yellow Spring Seal] and the core collided at close range, unleashing a terrifying burst of energy.

Natsume escaped the Progenitor Blood Vessel after the Yellow Spring Seal crippled the White Heron City Lord’s control of Dragon Palace City. Before Natsume could leave, the City Lord recognized the artifact and questioned his identity, prompting Natsume to decide to kill him.

• The collision of the Yellow Spring Seal and Dragon Palace City’s artifact core unleashed an explosion that expelled most of the liquid chakra and badly damaged Natsume and the White Heron City Lord.
• With the City Lord’s control weakened, a crack opened in the Progenitor Blood Vessel, and Natsume recalled the Yellow Spring Seal and prepared to escape.
• The White Heron City Lord recognized the Yellow Spring Remnant God’s aura and identified the Yellow Spring Seal, while Natsume denied knowing what he meant.
• The City Lord questioned Natsume about the goddess and his loyalties, and Natsume decided to kill him to protect his identity.

Natsume exposed Otsutsuki Yushi as a deceptive outsider who had tried to use the White Heron City Lord to kill him. Yushi began explaining his motives, first claiming that the Chief Grand Elder truly had wanted Natsume dead.

• Otsutsuki Yushi arrived at the Progenitor Blood Vessel and mocked Natsume and the White Heron City Lord over their battle and Dragon Palace City's destruction.
• Natsume recognized that Yushi was pretending to be the Chief Grand Elder's messenger and ordered him to kill the weakened White Heron City Lord.
• When Natsume threatened him, Otsutsuki Yushi dropped his act and teleported away, then asked how Natsume had seen through him.
• Natsume explained that Yushi's arrival at the demigod battlefield and his knowledge of the Divine Artifact Core exposed his deception.
• Otsutsuki Yushi admitted that he had planned to use the White Heron City Lord to eliminate Natsume, but said Natsume had exceeded his expectations.
• Otsutsuki Yushi claimed that the Chief Grand Elder had truly intended for Natsume to perish and had not told him about Dragon Palace City or its Divine Artifact Core.

Natsume learned that killing the White Heron City Lord would bind him to the Divine Artifact Core and imprison him in Dragon Palace City, revealing Otsutsuki Xushi’s scheme to eliminate or contain him. He realized Xushi had misjudged the alliances and resources he had gained.

• Natsume demanded that Otsutsuki Yushi explain his second point, and Yushi insisted he had come to save him.
• Otsutsuki Yushi warned Natsume that killing the White Heron City Lord would make him the new City Lord and bind him to the Divine Artifact Core forever.
• The White Heron City Lord silently confirmed Yushi’s warning when Natsume questioned him.
• Otsutsuki Yushi said ancient records in the Main Family Royal House explained the Divine Artifact Core’s binding rule and why the Main Family had allowed White Heron to rule.
• Natsume concluded that Otsutsuki Xushi had arranged for him either to die or become trapped in Dragon Palace City, but had underestimated Natsume’s allies and resources.

Natsume learned that Otsutsuki Yushi had tried to eliminate him on behalf of the royal family’s plan to seize Dragon Palace City, then switched to recruiting him after he defeated the White Heron City Lord. Yushi offered a bargain, and Natsume signaled that he might cooperate, leaving the City Lord to answer.

• Natsume decided not to kill the White Heron City Lord because he did not want to risk losing Hishiki's Soul Clone or Kuramitsuha.
• Natsume questioned Otsutsuki Yushi, who admitted he had acted as an undercover agent for Otsutsuki Xushiki while also serving King Zhenruo and the royal family.
• Yushi explained that the royal family wanted to seize Dragon Palace City and had tried to use the White Heron City Lord to remove Natsume.
• Natsume threatened to kill Yushi, but Yushi urged him to abandon Otsutsuki Xushi and offered him a bargaining chip to join their side.
• Natsume said he would consider cooperating with Dragon Palace City depending on the City Lord's position, and Yushi called on the White Heron City Lord to respond.

Natsume secured a truce between the Lord of White Heron City and the Royal House, then negotiated a way to leave Dragon Palace City and collected compensation. After the group returned to the city, its factions handled the battle’s aftermath while Natsume examined his reward and recovered.

• Natsume told the Lord of White Heron City that Kuramitsuha had been willing to cooperate, and the lord agreed to a truce.
• Natsume questioned Otsutsuki Yushi about the Royal House’s plans, and Yushi said its agents would eventually open the Dragon Palace Well for him to leave.
• Natsume demanded compensation, and the Royal House paid him three Semi-Divine Artifacts.
• The Lord of White Heron City retrieved the Divine Artifact Core and restored the Progenitor Blood Vessel’s chakra flow as its massive breach rapidly healed.
• The Lord of White Heron City withdrew to recover, Otsutsuki Yushi organized the cover-up, and Natsume returned to his residence to recover and inspect his payment.

Natsume assessed the three Semi-Divine Artifacts he received from the royal family and discussed his bargain with Kuramitsuha. He planned to wait up to a year for the well entrance to open, then leave through the Progenitor Blood Vessel if it remained closed.

• Natsume secured his surroundings and examined the Heavenly Beard Cube, Glazed Descent, and Plow Shell, deciding that all three suited his needs.
• Kuramitsuha questioned whether the artifacts had bought Natsume's cooperation, and he explained that accepting the royal family's reconciliation was his practical choice.
• Natsume thanked Kuramitsuha for the Yellow Spring secret arts that helped him defeat the city lord, then confirmed he had mastered them on the spot.
• Kuramitsuha chose not to probe the secret behind Natsume's rapid mastery and reminded him of their agreement to rescue her clansmen.
• Natsume said he would wait up to a year for the royal family to open the well entrance, then leave through the Progenitor Blood Vessel if it stayed closed.

Otsutsuki Yushi monitored Natsume after he left for Dragon Palace City’s lower level, while Natsume began studying its time bubbles and mist to prepare for reaching Demigod. He rejected the system’s costly shortcut to the Law of Time and chose to pursue mastery through research.

• Otsutsuki Yushi reflected on Nisshiki’s victory over White Heron and ordered his subordinate to watch Natsume and the City Lord.
• Otsutsuki Yushi learned that Natsume had gone alone to the lower level and allowed him to proceed while demanding reports of anything unusual.
• Natsume examined the prison bubbles and Suba Mist, which held immense temporal power, as potential aids to his study of time.
• Natsume considered exchanging Gold Coins for a law to reach Demigod, but the 500 million Gold Coins needed for the Law of Time was beyond his means.
• Natsume decided to research the Law of Time himself, relying on the time bubbles, mist, and the demigod artifact Plow Shell.

Natsume was approached by the injured Lord of White Heron City, who offered him a damaged semi-divine artifact in exchange for meeting Kuramitsuha. The city lord revealed that he had loved Kuramitsuha’s younger sister, Kuraokami, leaving Natsume stunned by their unexpected connection.

• The Lord of White Heron City projected himself to Natsume and asked to meet the being inside him, promising not to reveal their relationship.
• Natsume refused until the city lord offered him a damaged defensive semi-divine artifact, which Natsume accepted.
• Kuramitsuha emerged from the Wraith Wheel and recognized that the city lord knew her younger sister, Kuraokami.
• The city lord revealed that Kuraokami had been his lover, had lived with him in the city, and had helped him rise to power.
• Kuramitsuha learned that Kuraokami had fallen long ago, while Natsume realized the city lord could have become his brother-in-law.

White Heron City Lord recounted how Kuraokami helped him rise to power and how she died during an Otsutsuki coup. After Kuramitsuha verified his story through Kuraokami’s final message, Natsume realized White Heron was his ally against the Otsutsuki Clan.

• White Heron explained that Kuraokami had tutored him in Yellow Spring Secret Arts while imprisoned, and they had fallen in love.
• White Heron revealed that the Otsutsuki Main Family staged a coup before he became City Lord, killed Kuraokami, and wiped out many prisoners.
• White Heron said he seized the Divine Artifact Core, defeated the coup, and later preserved Kuraokami’s belongings, including the earring that sealed the Yellow Spring Seal.
• Natsume asked White Heron to prove his account, and White Heron presented Kuraokami’s preserved belongings and final message to Kuramitsuha.
• Kuramitsuha confirmed that White Heron had told the truth, and Natsume concluded that White Heron was his ally against the Otsutsuki Clan.

Natsume learned that the White Heron City Lord sought revenge on the Otsutsuki Main Family Royal House and recognized him as a potential ally. The city lord promised to help Natsume and agreed to provide Chakra Fruits and items containing the power of time.

• The White Heron City Lord explained that he blamed the Main Family Royal House for his wife's death and the riot in Dragon Palace City, and had worked for years to find a chance for revenge.
• Natsume suspected the city lord knew he was an infiltrator, and the city lord hinted that a divine artifact had exposed secrets while urging them to unite against their common enemy.
• The city lord said he had come to confirm Kuramitsuha's identity and fulfill Kame's wish to rescue her and deliver her final letter.
• After Natsume asked for compensation, the city lord promised to assist him and agreed to provide high-quality Chakra Fruits and items containing the power of time.

Natsume received a lavish secret sponsorship from the White Heron City Lord, including 100 Chakra Fruit Type III and three items containing the Power of Time. Kuramitsuha and the city lord discussed Kuraokami and her plans to rescue their remaining clansmen from the Yellow Spring Realm, and he gave her an item to help with the mission.

• Natsume continued studying the time bubbles while the White Heron City Lord visited Kuramitsuha each evening to tell her about Kuraokami.
• A city guard captain secretly delivered 100 Chakra Fruit Type III and three time-powered items from the White Heron City Lord to Natsume.
• Kuramitsuha and the White Heron City Lord reminisced about Kuraokami and shared their regrets about failing to protect her.
• Kuramitsuha told the city lord that she planned to rescue the remaining clansmen from the Yellow Spring Realm and admitted she had to rely on Natsume despite not fully trusting him.
• The White Heron City Lord gave Kuramitsuha a glowing item that could be used once to help her at a critical moment.

As the Otsutsuki and Maha Clans fought a devastating war, Akatsuki’s corpse scavengers were discovered and attacked. Obito protected his squad by fighting five Four-Armed Mara alone, but the Maha fighters began preparing a Sage Art to overpower him.

• The Maha Clan’s advance stalled at the Otsutsuki’s second-to-last defensive ring as both sides suffered enormous losses.
• Obito’s Akatsuki members scavenged more than a hundred thousand corpses, though over two thousand died and the Otsutsuki began noticing their activities.
• Five early Six Paths-level Four-Armed Mara attacked Obito’s squad and killed hundreds of its members after defeating Jiraiya, Morikawa, Kakashi, Tsuchikage, Mizukage, and the others.
• Obito, newly empowered as a Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, fought all five Mara at once and gained a slight advantage.
• Three Mara held Obito back while the other two activated their clan’s Sage Art to strengthen themselves.

Obito struggled against five Four-Armed Maras, and his Susanoo failed to turn the fight around. Uchiha Madara arrived and killed one of the sage-enhanced Maras, leaving Obito furious at his rescuer.

• Two Four-Armed Maras activated Immaculate Sage Art and their Hundred Evils Aspect, overwhelming Obito with support from the other three.
• Jiraiya and Kakashi urged Obito to retreat, but Obito summoned his Perfect Susanoo after taking Kakashi’s warning as an insult.
• Three Maras fled, while the two sage-enhanced Maras discovered Obito’s Susanoo was no Shikigami Form and battered it until it weakened.
• A Yasaka Magatama Divine Arrow breached one Mara’s Hundred Evils Aspect, and Uchiha Madara killed him with a Six Paths Susanoo.
• Madara scolded Obito for being driven into a corner, and Obito became enraged at him.

Madara rescued Obito and defeated the remaining Four-Armed Mara, while Izuna warned that the Otsutsuki had noticed Obito's corpse collection. Madara returned after gathering the fallen enemies, and the chapter ended with him teasing Obito about becoming a Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.

• Madara and five Six Paths Susanoo overwhelmed the remaining Four-Armed Mara as Jiraiya, Kakashi, and the Otsutsuki slaves watched with relief.
• Izuna apologized to Obito for Madara's past actions and explained that Madara's side had been tracking Obito to provide support.
• Izuna warned Obito that the Otsutsuki had noticed his corpse collecting and that investigators from the Sixth Court might soon arrive.
• Obito prepared to gather the corpses and send outer-ring members into the battle to obscure the operation, but Izuna said they could help address the problem.
• Madara defeated the remaining Mara, collected the corpses, and returned after killing more than thirty Moka People and rapidly strengthening through battle.
• Madara teased Obito about becoming a Ten-Tails Jinchuriki and suggested that Natsume had given him the Ten-Tails.

Madara urged Obito to kill the Otsutsuki inspectors, but a Forbidden Court Agency squad arrived in force and surrounded them. Facing Otsutsuki Hoshiki and thirty powerful warriors, Madara chose to hold back rather than fight immediately.

• Madara dismissed Obito’s objections and urged him to kill the Otsutsuki inspectors, while Obito prepared to flee if Madara was outmatched.
• Madara’s Ten-Tails had become obedient and supplied him with chakra, and he hoped killing stronger Otsutsuki would help him tame it further and advance to the high tier of Six Paths.
• Otsutsuki reinforcements overwhelmed the Mohe warriors across the battlefield, while a Forbidden Court Agency squad under the Sixth Court swept through the area.
• Otsutsuki Hoshiki led thirty Branch Family warriors to surround Madara and Obito, mistaking them for mixed-blood Otsutsuki from an outer branch.
• After gauging Hoshiki and his warriors’ strength, Madara chose to compromise for the moment rather than challenge them.

Madara and Obito were confronted by Otsutsuki Hoshiki over reports of slaves collecting corpses, and Madara attacked when Hoshiki ordered them restrained. Izuna intervened and used his Tenseigan and a secret order scroll to make Hoshiki hesitate, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Madara and Obito claimed they were separated in the chaotic battle, but Obito denied seeing anyone collecting corpses.
• Otsutsuki Hoshiki ordered nearby slaves captured for memory searches and sent four warriors to restrain Madara and Obito.
• Madara used four Limbo Shadows to strike the warriors, killing two and injuring two.
• Izuna rushed between Madara and Otsutsuki Hoshiki and stopped her from attacking.
• Izuna claimed they were on a high-ranking secret mission and showed Hoshiki a blank secret order scroll from Natsume.
• Hoshiki questioned Izuna about his Tenseigan but hesitated to execute the brothers, unsure of their connections to the main family.