Chapter Summaries

Zhang Yuanqing and the Five Elements Alliance team faced escalating harassment and sabotage at Heaven's Punishment, which culminated in Richardson attacking Red Chicken Bro when he fought back. Vinnie Berent chose not to intervene, hoping to learn whether Guan Ya or Ju Mang was the team's real decision-maker.

• Asano Ryo told Zhang Yuanqing that Brady Mead had harassed and threatened her, and Zhang Yuanqing kicked Brady when he blocked the team's way.
• Brady Mead ordered Richardson to deal with the Five Elements Alliance team, while Zhang Yuanqing warned the others to be cautious in New Covenant County.
• Someone sabotaged the team's air conditioning and power, and Heaven's Punishment staff refused to send repairs.
• Two Wind Mages insulted and shoved a Five Elements Alliance Scout, so Red Chicken Bro attacked them and Richardson blasted him into a wall.
• Asano Ryo identified Richardson as Brady's level-six Wind Mage assistant and bodyguard, while Vinnie Berent decided to let the team handle the conflict so she could observe Guan Ya and Ju Mang.

Zhang Yuanqing led the Five Elements Alliance team in beating Brady and forcing Vinnie Berent to accept their help investigating spies within Heaven's Punishment. That night, he discovered a bounty to kill Ju Mang that appeared designed to frame Brady and deepen the organization's internal conflict.

• Zhang Yuanqing attacked Richardson, then led the team to Brady's office, where they beat Brady unconscious while Guan Ya and Red Chicken Bro helped.
• Vinnie Berent summoned Zhang Yuanqing, recognized him as the aid team's true leader, and arranged bail in exchange for a Sovereign-quality item and their repatriation, while assigning them to investigate spies.
• Zhang Yuanqing tested Vinnie's attitude toward the team's role and learned their main duty would be to investigate spies within Heaven's Punishment.
• After reuniting with Guan Ya, Zhang Yuanqing sent a clone to check his phone and found that Catherine had not replied.
• Zhang Yuanqing spotted a Hunter Guild bounty on Ju Mang and concluded someone was using it to frame Brady or inflame Heaven's Punishment's internal divisions.

Zhang Yuanqing learned that the Hunter Guild had assigned him to assassinate Julian Mead, while Vinnie warned him about a bounty targeting Ju Mang. He realized the mission was meant to frame the Five Elements Alliance team and drive Sean Mead into conflict with Vinnie, as Julian arrived in New Covenant County intent on humiliating them.

• Catherine told Zhang Yuanqing that the Hunter Guild had assigned him to assassinate Julian Mead, a late Level Six Wind Mage who would visit the local branch.
• Vinnie Berent warned Zhang Yuanqing that someone had placed a bounty on him and reasoned that the culprit likely wanted Brady dead, Heaven's Punishment divided, or Sean investigated.
• Zhang Yuanqing overheard Yuan Ting gossiping about his private life and later stopped himself from searching for Julian on Heaven's Punishment's network.
• Yuan Ting told the team that Julian had arrived and planned to humiliate them at a gathering to avenge his cousin Brady.
• Zhang Yuanqing realized Catherine intended Julian's planned confrontation and subsequent assassination to be blamed on the Five Elements Alliance team, worsening the conflict between Sean and Vinnie.
• Zhang Yuanqing reassured the team that Julian would not be a major problem because Yuanshi had left them useful items, including the Yin-Yang Turntable.

Zhang Yuanqing and the Five Elements Alliance delegation attended a riverside banquet in Manhattan, where they faced cold treatment from local organizations and heard conflicting warnings about Julian Mead. The Goddess of Beauty Association arrived, and as President Donna spoke privately with Annie, Julian had still not appeared.

• Zhang Yuanqing and the Five Elements Alliance members arrived at the villa and were greeted by Emma's assistant, who hinted that Minister Vinnie expected him to perform well.
• Rayleigh Eugene warned the delegation that Julian Mead was capable and loyal to his allies but had a reputation for corruption, grudges, and womanizing.
• Dubagen Bauer advised Guan Ya to use her beauty to placate Julian, then disparaged the delegation when Guan Ya rejected her advice.
• Kraken said he admired Zhang Yuanqing for beating Brady Mead but refused to help against Julian, while Wings of the Wind God offered to fight Julian on the delegation's behalf.
• Donna Caroline arrived and used a Black Veil to restrain her overwhelming charm; Emma told the group that Executive Officer Sean would attend and that Donna was his for the evening.
• Donna asked Annie whether she had taken a liking to any of the young men at the banquet.

At a banquet convened to rally New Covenant County’s lawful organizations, Donna Caroline invited Zhang Yuanqing to sit beside her and the leaders announced their entry into the faction war. The gathering ended with Julian Mead attacking the Five Elements Alliance’s Saints, while Sean Mead defended his actions as retaliation.

• Annie worried that Julian Mead might challenge Mr. Yuanshi, while Emma brought the Five Elements Alliance’s members to toast President Donna.
• Donna Caroline invited Ju Mang to sit beside her, praised his talent, and arranged for him to exchange contact information with Annie.
• Vinnie Berent and Sean Mead arrived with Julian Mead, and the leaders announced that Heaven’s Punishment and the Goddess of Beauty Association would join the lawful faction’s war.
• Julian Mead attacked the Five Elements Alliance’s Saints with a barrage of wind blades, and Sean Mead dismissed Vinnie Berent’s objection by citing the Alliance’s earlier attack on Brady’s office.

Zhang Yuanqing fought Julian Mead after Julian injured Wings of the Wind God, revealing peak Saint-level power in beast form and defeating the Wind Mage despite his Dominator-grade White Egret Cloak. The guests were left stunned as Zhang Yuanqing claimed the cloak and landed safely with Julian unconscious.

• Julian Mead struck Wings of the Wind God with a tornado, and Sun Miaomiao went to treat his injuries.
• Zhang Yuanqing provoked Julian into fighting outside, where Julian attacked him with wind blades and a hurricane.
• Zhang Yuanqing transformed into a giant eagle with the Azure Emperor Jade Belt and evaded Julian’s Wind King Domain.
• Zhang Yuanqing pierced Julian’s wind wall, seized him, and beat him unconscious.
• Zhang Yuanqing took the White Egret Cloak, used it to control the airflow, and landed safely with Julian as the guests watched in shock.

Zhang Yuanqing defeated Julian Mead and left Heaven’s Punishment’s officials reeling, while footage of the fight spread widely and the Five Elements Alliance struggled to identify the mysterious Ju Mang. Julian and Sean Mead discussed a covert plan to retaliate in New Covenant County, and Zhang later learned Sean was dining with Donna that evening.

• Rayleigh Eugene reviewed the battle footage as guests reacted to Zhang Yuanqing’s victory, and Zhang warned Sean Mead to keep Heaven’s Punishment members from provoking his team.
• Self-Improvement told the Anti-Black-and-White Alliance group that Wings of the Wind God had recovered and that Ju Mang had defeated Julian Mead in under three minutes.
• Fu Qingyang saw the viral report about Ju Mang and realized Zhang Yuanqing was impersonating the real Ju Mang, whom he had sent into a guild dungeon.
• Julian Mead smashed his laptop over the online ridicule, and Sean Mead urged him to seek revenge discreetly by exploiting the chaos in New Covenant County.
• Zhang Yuanqing read the mocking forum posts about Julian, then received Annie’s message that Sean Mead was having dinner with Donna and left the Heaven’s Punishment branch.

Zhang Yuanqing sent his duplicate to kill Julian Mead, then infiltrated Sean Mead’s villa through a bodyguard’s dream and manipulated Julian into an exhausting night before killing him in a dream. The next morning, the Five Elements Alliance learned of Julian’s death and was summoned to meet Sean.

• Zhang Yuanqing ordered his duplicate to kill Julian Mead and used Dream Traversal to learn the villa’s defenses from Kane.
• Zhang Yuanqing entered Julian’s bedroom as a spirit and intensified Julian’s lust until he collapsed from exhaustion.
• Zhang Yuanqing made Julian dream that Ju Mang stabbed him, and Julian died in bed.
• A receptionist told Yuan Ting that Julian had been assassinated, and Yuan Ting denied that the Five Elements Alliance was responsible.
• An Executive Department member told the Five Elements Alliance that Sean wanted to see them.

After Julian Mead’s assassination, Sean Mead blamed the evil faction and ordered a purge of New Covenant County’s A-rank wanted list, escalating the faction conflict. Zhang Yuanqing contacted Catherine to claim his promised reward and agreed to meet for a final test.

• Sean Mead questioned Ju Mang about Julian Mead’s death, but Guan Ya’s deductions and Sun Miaomiao’s confirmation that Julian’s spirit body remained led Sean to identify a Dream Master as the likely killer.
• Sean told Vinnie Berent that the evil faction had declared war and ordered Orderly Professions to eliminate the A-rank wanted-list members within a month.
• The president explained to Zhang Yuanqing that Spirit Realm faction wars targeted mid- and high-ranking enemies, and said Zhang’s assassination had advanced the conflict and made him valuable to Catherine.
• Zhang Yuanqing checked his backup phone and found Catherine’s messages and missed calls warning him to stop the mission.
• Catherine arranged a ten o’clock meeting at 69 Hamburg Street for Zhang Yuanqing’s final test, and he agreed after she apologized.

Zhang Yuanqing prepared to face the Free Covenant’s assessment, learning that Sovereign-stage oaths punished violations only once, then went to meet Catherine at a massage parlor. He confronted her over the failed plot against Julian Mead, but privately struggled to control his desire around the Sovereign-level Love and Desire profession.

• Zhang Yuanqing called Zhai Cai and learned that Sovereign-stage oaths, contracts, and rules inflicted punishment only once, while certain skills and items could evade them.
• Zhang Yuanqing planned to have his original body attend the assessment while his corpse puppet used the Perfect Skin to bear the karmic burden.
• Zhang Yuanqing worried about his upcoming multiplayer Spirit Realm instance and considered asking the president to rescue him if it became too dangerous.
• Zhang Yuanqing arrived at the massage and wellness club on Hamburg Street and identified himself to the staff as the Heaven-Connecting Cult Leader.
• Catherine greeted Zhang Yuanqing in a private room, and he accused her of trying to assassinate Julian Mead and frame the Five Elements Alliance.
• Zhang Yuanqing demanded to know the final test and refused to sleep with Catherine, while privately fighting his attraction to her.

Zhang Yuanqing passed the Hunter Guild’s final assessment after the Holy Pool revealed the overwhelming malice in his soul, and he joined the guild as an internal member. Catherine revealed that the guild belonged to the Free Covenant, whose predecessors destroyed the Holy See, and her talk of divine revelation led Zhang Yuanqing to suspect a connection to god.

• Catherine tested Zhang Yuanqing’s identity and motives under oath while he sat in the Holy Pool, and his answers were approved by the Hunter Guild’s reviewers.
• The Holy Pool’s cleansing spread pitch-black malice across half the pool, shocking Catherine and prompting the guild president to approve Zhang Yuanqing while ordering monthly cleansings.
• Zhang Yuanqing’s avatar recovered the Perfect Skin and damaged corpse puppet from the bank headquarters, while Princess Yinyao recorded audio to learn foreign speech.
• Catherine welcomed Zhang Yuanqing into the Hunter Guild, outlined his salary and mission benefits, and identified the guild as part of the Free Covenant.
• Catherine said the Free Covenant’s predecessors destroyed the Holy See and described destruction as divine revelation, causing Zhang Yuanqing to ask whether she meant a god.

Zhang Yuanqing infiltrated the Free Covenant and learned that the Holy See's treasury contained the sealed origin powers of two demigods, while the group searched for fragments of the Holy Disk. After reporting to the president, he was told Ju Mang's alias would handle the fragment search so Zhang could protect his undercover mission.

• Catherine told Zhang Yuanqing that gods were trapped in the Spirit Realm and that the Holy See's treasury held the sealed origin power of the Cardinal and the Holy Knight.
• Catherine revealed that the surviving Holy Knight was hiding in Vinnie Berent's home and that the Free Covenant suspected Fu Qingyang had obtained a Holy Disk fragment from the Zhou Ji Phoenix Bird Vessel.
• Zhang Yuanqing blamed the Unfettered Sword Immortal for giving Fu Qingyang the lead, and Catherine agreed to have someone watch him while assigning Zhang to remain undercover.
• Zhang Yuanqing used Dream Traversal to reach a hotel in Queens District and messaged the president about his mission and discoveries.
• The president said Zhang Yuanqing mattered more than the administrator privileges and decided that Ju Mang's alias would search for the Holy Disk fragments instead.

Zhang Yuanqing endured the Phantom God item's renewed corruption and awakened the ability to steal Spirit Realm identities, giving him a way to avoid October's dungeon. The next morning, as he and his team heard rumors about Donna, Vinnie's secretary summoned them to a meeting.

• Zhang Yuanqing discussed the Holy See's hidden treasure and his upcoming Sovereign-stage multiplayer dungeon with Mr. President, who warned that intervening could bring severe punishment from the Spirit Realm.
• After returning to his room, Zhang Yuanqing suffered a violent episode as the Phantom God item's seal loosened, then used Evil-Breaking Talismans and Solar Power to suppress the corruption.
• The Phantom God item's awakening let Zhang Yuanqing permanently devour Role Cards and assume their Spirit Realm identities; he realized that a card belonging to someone who had already entered the Spirit Realm that month could let him skip October's dungeon.
• The next morning, Zhang Yuanqing and his teammates listened to Yuan Ting recount Donna Caroline's romantic history and the Demon Lord's past exploits.
• Nicola arrived at the Five Elements Alliance office and summoned Zhang Yuanqing and the others to a meeting at Vinnie's request.

Zhang Yuanqing attended a Heaven’s Punishment meeting where Vinnie and Sean clashed over whether to pursue Beast Haas or Cocktail after Beast Haas killed an inspector. After refusing Vinnie’s request for help, Zhang secretly investigated the murder and obtained a toxin sample, while Yuan Ting traded gossip about Fu Qingyang and Yuanshi Tianzun to get it.

• Vinnie presented evidence that Beast Haas had murdered inspector Abner Carlisle and provoked Heaven’s Punishment, raising fears that a spy had exposed Carlisle’s address.
• Vinnie urged Heaven’s Punishment to hunt Beast Haas, but Sean insisted the Operations Department would prioritize Cocktail, and the two chiefs’ disagreement split the meeting.
• Vinnie asked Guan Ya’s team to track Beast Haas, but Zhang Yuanqing declined publicly and then privately decided to investigate without alerting her.
• Zhang sent Yuan Ting to obtain the autopsy and investigation reports, which revealed Beast Haas’s footprints and a biological toxin in the victim’s body.
• Zhang asked Yuan Ting to get a toxin sample, and Yuan Ting secured one by telling Joanie gossip about Fu Qingyang and Yuanshi Tianzun.

Zhang Yuanqing tracked Beast Haas to a Biological Alchemy Society stronghold in the Bronx District and called in his companions before making his move. The chapter leaves him teleporting into the room where Haas is staying as Guan Ya and the others prepare to support him.

• Zhang Yuanqing summoned the Red Dancing Shoes, let them track Carlisle to the bank headquarters, then used the Great Luo Star Chart to identify a neighborhood in the Bronx District.
• Zhang Yuanqing followed the Red Dancing Shoes into the Bronx District and used dreams to learn Beast Haas's address and confirm that the area was a Biological Alchemy Society stronghold managed by six Saints.
• Zhang Yuanqing observed Beast Haas's building, assessed the risks, and sent Guan Ya and the other Saints his location and hunting plan.
• Guan Ya told Zhang Yuanqing that the group was one kilometer away and ready to support him.
• Zhang Yuanqing ordered the group to move, snapped his fingers, and appeared in the bedroom where Beast Haas was staying.

Zhang Yuanqing killed Beast Haas and took his items after overcoming the Mutant’s attacks with his Spirit Servants and corpse puppets. He then began devouring Beast Haas’s lingering spirit to search for Heaven’s Punishment’s spy.

• Zhang Yuanqing provoked Beast Haas into opening the Box of Night and attacking him with mutation and petrification skills.
• Zhang Yuanqing summoned Ghost Bride, Little Doubi, Princess Yinyao, Greedy Divine General, Hundred-Man Slayer, and a corpse puppet to fight Beast Haas and his mutated victims.
• Beast Haas drank the Demon Potion and transformed, but Zhang Yuanqing’s allies restrained him while Zhang Yuanqing extracted and devoured his Role Card.
• Zhang Yuanqing killed Beast Haas with the Purple-Gold Pumpkin Hammer and learned that Beast Haas’s Role Card had been absorbed by the black heart.
• Zhang Yuanqing identified the Demon Potion and Box of Night, collected them, and began devouring Beast Haas’s lingering spirit to seek Heaven’s Punishment’s spy.

After killing Beast Haas, Zhang Yuanqing learned that Heaven’s Punishment had a hidden spy and that the evil faction planned to strike the Sea God Church when an unknown opportunity arose. He tested Vinnie Berent by accusing her of being the spy, but her reaction seemed genuine; then he sensed suspicious emotions from her assistant, Emma.

• Zhang Yuanqing suppressed Beast Haas’s negative emotions and learned that Godzilla had ordered the attack, the Biological Alchemy Society had a kill list, and the evil faction was waiting for an opportunity to attack the Sea God Church.
• Zhang Yuanqing ordered his companions to retreat after they defeated the Biological Alchemy Society’s remaining Saints, then shared some of Beast Haas’s intelligence with them.
• Guan Ya suggested falsely accusing Vinnie Berent to test her reaction, and Zhang Yuanqing decided to try it.
• Zhang Yuanqing brought Beast Haas’s corpse to Vinnie’s office and accused her of being the spy, prompting emotions that convinced him she was likely innocent.
• Zhang Yuanqing sensed disdain, disbelief, and concealed gloating from Vinnie’s assistant, Emma.

Zhang Yuanqing and his allies tested whether Emma was protected by Concealment and uncovered her as the spy who leaked Abner Carlisle’s address to Beast Haas. Emma began explaining how she became involved with the Free Covenant, but had not yet revealed the divine revelation she received.

• Zhang Yuanqing told Vinnie Berent that he had confirmed she was not Heaven’s Punishment’s spy and shared intelligence about the Biological Alchemy Society’s hit list.
• Zhang Yuanqing asked the Stop-Killing Palace Lord to hypnotize Emma, and they arranged to remove any Concealment protection with a Sovereign-stage purification array.
• Zhang Yuanqing, the Stop-Killing Palace Lord, and Zhao Chenghuang brought Emma to Vinnie’s office and used the array before hypnotizing her.
• Under hypnosis, Emma admitted that she had leaked Abner Carlisle’s address to Beast Haas.
• Emma said she had met Victor Fowler six years earlier, joined a masked gathering with him, and received a divine revelation while lying on a golden bed.

Vinnie Berent interrogated Emma and learned that the Free Covenant might be targeting her grandfather, while the Five Elements Alliance’s support team earned rewards for killing Beast Haas. Zhang Yuanqing later received Catherine’s message inviting him to an internal gathering that night, at the usual location.

• Vinnie Berent learned that Emma had been tasked with watching Jody Berent and suspected the Free Covenant planned to target him, then killed Emma after extracting her contact code for Godzilla.
• Heaven’s Punishment announced that the Five Elements Alliance’s support team had killed Beast Haas, stirring the local organizations and raising fears of retaliation from the Biological Alchemy Society.
• The Stop-Killing Palace Lord posed as Ju Mang’s girlfriend at the Five Elements Alliance office, making the Saints uncomfortable and provoking Guan Ya’s anger.
• Ocedo William gave the Five Elements Alliance Saints nine million federal dollars and the choice of three Saint-quality items and ten materials, then warned them to keep a low profile.
• Zhang Yuanqing checked his backup phone after escorting the Stop-Killing Palace Lord home and found Catherine’s message summoning him to an internal gathering at 69 Hamburg Street at ten that night.

Zhang Yuanqing attended a Hunter Guild gathering for peak Saints, where he encountered notorious members Bacchus, Hecate, and Cocktail. The Guild assigned a mission to hunt Ju Mang and the Five Elements Alliance support team, forcing Zhang Yuanqing to join despite his reluctance.

• Zhang Yuanqing met Catherine before entering the Spirit Realm gathering, and she warned him to keep a low profile among the peak Saints.
• Zhang Yuanqing recognized Hecate and Bacchus at the meeting, then clashed verbally with a masked member suspected of belonging to the Sea God Church.
• Cocktail arrived and reported that he had wiped out two Heaven's Punishment action squads, including seven Saints, while losing three subordinates.
• Catherine announced that the Five Elements Alliance team had helped locate and kill Beast Haas, and warned that its members could threaten the Guild's Saints.
• Catherine offered top-tier Saint-stage items for hunting Ju Mang or eliminating his whole team; after Hecate said the operation would be hidden from Star Officials, Zhang Yuanqing agreed to accept the mission.