Chapter Summaries

Li Li and the others joined Wu Tiantong and Daoist Lingguan in defeating the Yin Mountain Ghost King, but the Demon-Subduing Patriarch revealed that the battle had been part of his own transformation and vanished with the Ghost King’s spiritual light. With the fighting over, Wu Tiantong stayed to help King Yama rebuild the underworld while Ling Qing and the others returned to Huaiyin Mountain.

• Li Li and Zhu Guang reached the Netherworld and joined Wu Tiantong, Daoist Lingguan, and Ling Qing in fighting the Yin Mountain Ghost King.
• The group worked together to wear down the giant’s stone body and transform it into flesh, preparing to extract its true spirit.
• The Demon-Subduing Patriarch drew his sword, took the Ghost King’s spiritual light, and merged it with his own before vanishing as a Taiji sphere.
• Li Li proposed refining the Ghost King’s abandoned body into a puppet, and Wu Tiantong arranged for the Special Affairs Department to take it.
• The group captured or killed the fleeing ghost kings, while Wu Tiantong stayed to help King Yama rebuild the underworld and Ling Qing kept the Red Lotus Ghost King in his Dao Field.

After the Yin Mountain Ghost King’s defeat, Ling Qing and his companions divided their duties and began restoring order in the human world. Ling Qing opened his liver’s divine treasury, greatly extending his lifespan, and emerged from seclusion as the remaining ghosts were purged and the Insurgent Army was settled.

• At Wudang Temple, Ling Qing and the others discussed the world’s future, including sharing its opportunities, refining Two Realms Archways, and giving allies avatars to enter the instance.
• Li Li stabilized the true forms of the Five Qi, while Zhu Guang focused on refining Two Realms Archways and Ling Qing entrusted Wudang Temple to him before beginning seclusion.
• Ling Qing opened the liver reservoir’s Spirit Palace, forming the Clear and Cold Palace, Orchid Terrace Manor, and strengthening his longevity until he could potentially live for fifteen thousand years.
• After Ling Qing emerged from seclusion, Tian Ying, Yan Chixia, Ling Ji, and the others returned as the Three Mountains Dao Lineage, Buddhist schools, and City God Department purged the remaining ghosts.
• The Special Affairs Department settled the Insurgent Army, executing or suppressing those who threatened continued unrest and arranging matters for the rest.

After the Yin Mountain Ghost King’s forces were defeated, Wu Tiantong began learning how to establish an Underworld Administration Hell in reality. He recruited Ling Qing to help with Red Lotus Karma Fire and left the story discussing how to build a system suited to the human world.

• Zhu Youxiao survived his illness with Zhu Guang’s pills, withdrew to his woodworking room, and entrusted Zhu Youjian with overseeing Great Ming for ten years.
• King Yama and his allies defeated the remaining forces of the Yin Mountain Ghost King, while Wu Tiantong and Zhong Kui crushed invading ghosts and secured submissions from the survivors.
• King Yama invited Wu Tiantong to temporarily take a position as one of the Ten Kings of Hell, and Wu Tiantong studied the Eighteen Hells Scripture.
• Wu Tiantong realized that sins stripped away in a real-world Underworld Administration Hell could accumulate dangerously, but Red Lotus Karma Fire offered a way to burn them away.
• Wu Tiantong asked Ling Qing to help establish the Special Affairs Department’s Underworld Administration Hell, and Ling Qing agreed.
• Wu Tiantong, Ling Qing, and King Yama discussed how to judge and punish souls in a reality without a separate Netherworld.

Ling Qing and his companions left the Yin Mountain Instance after establishing Wuwei Temple, then returned to the real world and planned how to explore and bind more instances. Ling Qing returned to Daoqing Temple, prepared his disciples to seek their own opportunities, and completed the Red Lotus Ghost King's transformation into the Myriad-Virtue Great Benevolence Pure Emperor, though he had not yet devised a cultivation art for that path.

• Ling Qing bid farewell to Lady Meng, Zhong Kui, and the others, uprooted the Red Lotus Dao Field, and left the Netherworld with his companions.
• Ling Qing entrusted Wuwei Temple to Yan Chixia, Mu Jingrou, Xiao Qian, and the others, promising to take them beyond their world if he gained control of its core.
• After leaving the Yin Mountain Instance, Ling Qing and his companions returned to Baozhu Temple, where Daoist Lingguan proposed using Two Realms Archways to bind more instance gates and strengthen the Mount Lao Sect.
• Tian Yong and Tian Ying planned to revisit the Southland Instance, while Zhu Guang and the other disciples chose instances that could advance their own aims.
• Ling Qing returned to Daoqing Temple with Ling Ji and his other disciples, judged them ready to seek their own opportunities, and completed the Red Lotus Ghost King's refinement as the Myriad-Virtue Great Benevolence Pure Emperor.
• Ling Qing established a peach forest and precious palace in the Red Lotus Dao Field to protect and deliver the dead, but had not yet developed a cultivation art for the Pure Emperor's path.

Ling Qing agreed to help Wu Tiantong establish the Underworld Administration Hell at Mount Tai and let an avatar oversee its punishment and karmic fire. Wu Tiantong showed him the newly built prison inside the mountain, where the Special Affairs Department planned to contain the sins and karmic burdens of the dead.

• Ling Qing sent Ling Ji to the Mountain God world to consolidate its portal and arranged for Wenjun and Sun Yuwei to remain in the mountains.
• Wu Tiantong brought Ling Qing to Mount Tai, where the Special Affairs Department had cleared the mountain and prepared the Underworld Administration Hell.
• Wu Tiantong explained that Ling Qing's avatar would burn away sinful karma and perceive prisoners' hearts through virtue, as he had in the Yin Mountain Netherworld.
• Wu Tiantong and four officials used their treasure seals to open the gateway to the hells beneath Mount Tai.
• Wu Tiantong led Ling Qing through the eighteen-level prison and explained how the Special Affairs Department would contain sins and karmic burdens that would otherwise scatter after death.

Ling Qing established the Red Lotus Dao Field in the lowest level of Mount Tai Hell, then created the Mount Tai Mountain God Seal to help Wu Tiantong oversee the Underworld Administration. As the prison began operating, Xiao Mo continued working off his karmic sins until he was called away on a mission, while Ling Qing departed Mount Tai.

• Ling Qing established the Red Lotus Dao Field in the eighteenth level of hell, where karmic fire purified the sins of arriving souls.
• Wu Tiantong agreed to use the lowest level to shelter ghostly souls and began preparing to receive life prisoners and death-row inmates.
• Ling Qing spent over a month creating the Mount Tai Mountain God Seal and handed it to Wu Tiantong.
• Ling Qing helped Xiao Mo improve his demonic cultivation methods while Xiao Mo served his sentence at the Mount Tai prison.
• A Special Affairs Department officer summoned Xiao Mo for a mission, and Xiao Mo left after bidding Ling Qing farewell.
• Ling Qing said goodbye to Wu Tiantong and flew away from the Mount Tai Underworld Administration.

Ling Qing returned to Qingyun Mountain, observed Shangling Village’s peaceful life, and cultivated until he opened the Lung’s Divine Abode. Restless after his disciples remained away, he found promising information about a Mount Hua dungeon and set out to explore it.

• Ling Qing surveyed Shangling Mountain and Shangling Village, where Daoqing Temple protected villagers who preferred a quiet life while allowing others to seek opportunities beyond the village.
• Ling Qing returned to Clear Spirit Pavilion and opened the Lung’s Divine Abode, gathering and refining Geng and Xin metal qi through cultivation.
• After more than a month passed without his disciples returning, Ling Qing learned that they and several acquaintances were inside dungeons and began searching for one himself.
• Ling Qing reviewed Special Affairs Department records and found a Mount Hua dungeon rumored to contain immortals and offering a qi-refining method.
• Ling Qing requested more information, gave brief instructions, and flew toward Mount Hua using the Primordial One Qi Spiritual Light Escape Technique.

Ling Qing entered the Demon Stars Save the World instance and arrived at the Shi family estate, where he met Shi Jin after his father died. After overseeing the funeral rites, Ling Qing tested Shi Jin’s martial skills and discovered that an unusual energy in Shi Jin’s body resisted his minor spells.

• Ling Qing opened the Demon Stars Save the World instance at Mount Hua and witnessed a child and three refugees become part of the world’s fate.
• Ling Qing chose a Daoist identity and reached the Shi family estate, where he learned that Old Master Shi had died that day.
• Ling Qing offered lodging and funeral services, and Shi Jin welcomed him and asked him to conduct rites for his father.
• Ling Qing led the funeral ceremonies for several days, and Old Master Shi’s returning soul praised him to Shi Jin.
• Shi Jin asked Ling Qing to spar, and Ling Qing found him strong and skilled, while minor spells were scattered by an unusual energy within his body.

Ling Qing investigated Shi Jin’s demonic star aura and devised the Nine-Turn Divine Dragon Art to help him master it. After several months of training, Shi Jin challenged Ling Qing but remained unable to land a hit.

• Ling Qing examined Shi Jin’s martial training and identified the Nine Nether Star Demon God Aura within him.
• Ling Qing created the Nine-Turn Divine Dragon Art, adapting it to Shi Jin’s aura and his Nine-Patterned Dragon nickname.
• Shi Jin trained under Ling Qing for three or four months as Ling Qing refined the cultivation method.
• Shi Jin practiced the art in the manor yard, where his astral energy took the shape of a nine-headed dragon.
• Shi Jin attacked Ling Qing with his claws and then a saber, but Ling Qing calmly deflected every move and threw him aside.
• Shi Jin put away his weapon and asked Ling Qing why he still seemed like a beginner when they fought.

Ling Qing considered the consequences of teaching Shi Jin the Nine Nether Star Demon God Aura while opening the final divine residence in his kidneys. Meanwhile, Shi Jin prepared Shi Family Village against Mount Shaohua’s outlaws and met Chen Da in battle.

• Ling Qing explained that Shi Jin would need to condense his martial spirit into a tangible dharma form before he could travel freely, and Shi Jin resumed training.
• Ling Qing judged that Shi Jin’s demon soul needed the killing intent of battle to become complete, but worried that the technique might worsen the world’s calamity.
• Ling Qing opened the kidney divine residences and began condensing Youchang Palace Taihe Mansion, expecting it to be complete within two or three months.
• Shi Jin gathered the people of Shi Family Village and organized defenses after learning that Zhu Wu, Chen Da, and Yang Chun had become outlaws on Mount Shaohua.
• Chen Da led roughly 140 or 150 men toward Shi Family Village, and Shi Jin brought several hundred villagers out to confront him.
• Shi Jin and Chen Da clashed north of the village, with Shi Jin wielding his saber and Chen Da thrusting his spear.

Shi Jin defeated and captured Chen Da, while Ling Qing met Fuyouzi of Mount Taihua, who explained the demonic stars’ tribulation and asked him to help ensure they gathered for their brotherhood. Ling Qing learned that Fuyouzi sought the Sacred Fire Divinity from Fang La and agreed only to help when the occasion arose.

• Shi Jin’s blade-light veered over Chen Da’s head, and Shi Jin disarmed him, pulled him from his horse, and ordered him bound.
• Ling Qing entered Fuyouzi’s cave abode on Mount Taihua and learned that Fuyouzi was a fellow disciple of Master Chijing.
• Fuyouzi explained that the one hundred and eight Star Lords had reincarnated to sweep away the evil in the world and undergo their tribulations.
• Fuyouzi revealed that he sought the Sacred Fire Divinity carried by Fang La, the living holy spirit of Fiery Bright Venerable.
• Fuyouzi asked Ling Qing to help the Star Lords gather for their brotherhood, promising him the concept of “sacred” if he succeeded.

Ling Qing agreed to help Fuyouzi pursue the Sacred Fire Divinity while the Star Lords dealt with the Fiery Bright Venerable. He then helped Shi Jin unite with the other Mount Shaohua chiefs and taught all four men methods suited to their Fiend Stars.

• Ling Qing agreed to work with Fuyouzi, who planned to wait for the Star Lords to defeat the Fiery Bright Venerable before seizing the Sacred Fire Divinity.
• Shi Jin showed Ling Qing that he had captured Chen Da, and Zhu Wu and Yang Chun soon came to share Chen Da's punishment; Shi Jin released Chen Da and hosted the three chiefs.
• After Shi Jin introduced Ling Qing to Zhu Wu, Yang Chun, and Chen Da, the three asked Ling Qing to teach them, and he agreed.
• Ling Qing created Divine Tiger Leaping Cloud Force for Chen Da and the Heavenly Serpent Breath-Devouring Art for Yang Chun, and taught both men mounted archery and cavalry combat.
• Ling Qing taught Zhu Wu the Earth Sha Array methods and Earth Sha General Outline, then gave each of the three men a Celestial Star Pearl to protect them and help them refine their Star God Demonic Sha.
• The three men were deeply grateful to Ling Qing and regarded him as a teacher, father, elder, and relative.

Ling Qing watched Shi Jin and the other three cultivate, then saw Shi Jin’s demonic soul surge during a violent escape from the authorities. Shi Jin gained a great advance in divine skill and returned to Mount Shaohua, where Ling Qing examined him as he slept.

• Ling Qing left Shi Family Manor but settled nearby to observe how Shi Jin and the other three’s demonic souls developed.
• Wang Si lost Shi Jin’s invitation to Zhu Wu and the others, and Li Ji reported the stolen letter to the authorities.
• When the officers surrounded Shi Family Manor, Shi Jin killed Wang Si and led Zhu Wu, Yang Chun, and Chen Da in a breakout.
• Shi Jin and his companions killed Li Ji and the two patrol chiefs, while Shi Jin’s demonic soul grew stronger with each kill.
• Shi Jin’s demonic flames formed a nine-headed dragon, and he gained a surge of strength before celebrating at the Mount Shaohua stronghold.
• Ling Qing appeared beside the sleeping Shi Jin and judged that his temperament had kept him from being consumed by the urge to kill.

Ling Qing left Mount Shaohua and traveled toward Liangshan, while Shi Jin set out to find Wang Jin and was unknowingly headed toward Lu Da. In Mengzhou, Ling Qing witnessed the people’s desperate hunger and the human meat they were forced to eat, leaving him questioning whether the world itself had become monstrous.

• Ling Qing gave Shi Jin a method for worshipping the Heavenly Subtle Star, then left Mount Shaohua and visited Fuyouzi to discuss the Dao.
• Ling Qing hired a boat on the Yellow River and headed toward Liangshan, intending to seek out the gathered stars and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden and Demon-Quelling Celestial Venerable.
• Shi Jin left Mount Shaohua to find his former master Wang Jin, but lost his way and traveled to Weizhou, where he was destined to meet Lu Da.
• Ling Qing reached Mengzhou and saw that the starving villagers survived by eating steamed buns filled with human flesh.
• Ling Qing reflected on whether the world and its people had become demonic and whether the gathering of the stars could truly save it.

Ling Qing helped the starving people of Mengzhou by eating at Shi En’s expense, earning merit and teaching Shi En the Golden Tiger Qi Absorption Art to guard against his demonic star. He then set out for Crossroads Slope.

• Ling Qing visited Shi En in Happy Grove and accepted a meal, then ate an astonishing amount of food and wine.
• Shi En invited Ling Qing to stay, and Ling Qing ate and slept for three days while his merit brought strength to starving people around Mengzhou.
• Ling Qing told Shi En that feeding him had earned merit and offered to grant him a path to glory, wealth, blessings, and longevity.
• Ling Qing taught Shi En the Golden Tiger Qi Absorption Art and placed the Earth Subduing Star Pearl in his body to protect his true heart from Demonic Sha.
• Ling Qing announced that he intended to travel to Crossroads Slope.

Ling Qing learned from Shi En that Sun Erniang and Zhang Qing preyed on travelers at Crossroads Slope, then went alone to confront the tavern. He found Sun Erniang waiting for a customer, and his uncanny, emotionless gaze made her shudder.

• Shi En warned Ling Qing that Sun Erniang and Zhang Qing drugged travelers and sold their flesh as buns, while local officials and villagers tolerated the business.
• Ling Qing reflected on the corruption and accumulated evil of the world, wondering whether the 108 demon stars could save it.
• Ling Qing refused Shi En’s offer of an escort and vanished from Mengzhou City toward Crossroads Slope.
• Ling Qing reached Sun Erniang’s tavern and saw the black qi and demonic presence surrounding her.
• Sun Erniang greeted Ling Qing, but his calm gaze made her anger falter and sent a shudder through her.

Ling Qing confronted Sun Erniang and Zhang Qing at their tavern, where they tried to poison and rob him. After revealing that he had never been fooled, he proposed killing them and selling them as meat buns.

• Ling Qing demanded meat buns and wine from Sun Erniang, who feared his gaze but eventually served him poisoned food and wine.
• Sun Erniang watched Ling Qing collapse, took his Wanhua Whisk and silver, and tried to drag him away, but strained her back when he would not move.
• Zhang Qing arrived, learned what had happened, and told Sun Erniang to give Ling Qing an antidote and let him go.
• Ling Qing suddenly sat up unharmed, reclaimed his silver, and introduced himself as Ling Dao Qing.
• Zhang Qing apologized, but Ling Qing proposed slaughtering the couple and selling them as meat buns.

Ling Qing trapped Zhang Qing and Sun Erniang in Red Lotus Karma Fire, where Zhang Qing repeatedly relived a temple fire until an old monk freed him. Zhang Qing returned to the inn and begged Ling Qing to spare Sun Erniang, while Ling Qing continued watching her flames.

• Sun Erniang attacked Ling Qing, but she and Zhang Qing were engulfed by Blood Flame, while two helpers were burned to ash by Red Lotus Karma Fire.
• Zhang Qing relived burning down a temple and dying in its flames through many cycles of the illusion.
• An old monk told Zhang Qing that he had looked down on himself and pushed him out of the illusion, extinguishing the karma fire on him.
• Ling Qing realized the old monk had intervened from beyond the illusion, as Fuyouzi had suggested others watched the celestial radiance and Baleful Intent.
• Zhang Qing awoke at the inn, saw Sun Erniang was still alive, and begged Ling Qing to spare her while Ling Qing continued watching her flames.

Sun Erniang awakened from Ling Qing’s trial with Yaksha demonic power and accidentally mortally wounded Zhang Qing. As Ling Qing offered a way to save him using a Yaksha’s heart’s blood, Sun Erniang begged him for help.

• Sun Erniang devoured the vengeful ghosts in Ling Qing’s illusion, stirring her demon star and forming a Yaksha demonic soul.
• Ling Qing withdrew the Blood Flame, and Sun Erniang awoke and attacked him in a killing frenzy.
• Zhang Qing tried to stop Sun Erniang, but she tore open his chest and spilled his organs.
• Zhang Qing urged Sun Erniang not to blame Ling Qing or seek revenge, while she mourned and refused to accept his death.
• Sun Erniang prepared to kill Zhang Qing herself, but Ling Qing stopped her and said he knew a method requiring a Yaksha’s heart’s blood.
• Sun Erniang kowtowed and begged Ling Qing to save Zhang Qing, then fell still when he pointed out that she was the Yaksha female ghost the method required.

Ling Qing stopped Sun Erniang from killing Zhang Qing and revived him, then decided to restrain her demonic nature by replacing her heart and teaching her a karmic cultivation method. The chapter ended with him passing on the Naraka Karma Suppression Art to Sun Erniang.

• Sun Erniang tore out her yaksha heart and begged Ling Qing to save Zhang Qing, but attacked him when he said the heart could not help.
• Ling Qing stopped Sun Erniang from biting Zhang Qing and froze her, concluding that he could neither save nor kill her by ordinary means.
• Ling Qing restored Zhang Qing's organs and wounds, revived him, and agreed to save Sun Erniang as well.
• Ling Qing replaced Sun Erniang's heart with the Earth Strong Star Pearl and warned that her new method would grow stronger by consuming people burdened with sins and karma.
• Ling Qing taught Sun Erniang the Naraka Karma Suppression Art.