Chapter Summaries

Ling Qing linked the Cloud Terraces with Celestial Star Pearls and combined several Gang-Sha formations to strengthen his star-based cultivation system. He began fusing the Earth Sha Array Diagram into the Galaxy Scroll while teaching the Star Lords to refine demonic qi and starlight into cultivation methods and magical treasures.

• Ling Qing arranged the one hundred and eight Cloud Terraces into a formation and used Celestial Star Pearls to draw starlight that aided the Star Lords and helped Zhu Wu advance.
• Ling Qing combined three Gang-Sha methods, turning the Cloud Terrace Stellar Palaces into a formation of temples, star gods, banners, and magical treasures.
• Ling Qing dismantled the Earth Sha Array Diagram and merged its seventy-two portions into the Cloud Terrace Stellar Palaces linked to the Galaxy Scroll.
• The Wondrous Dao Emperor taught the Star Lords to use starlight and demonic qi to refine magical artifacts, and Lu Zhishen and the others crafted treasures suited to themselves.
• Ling Qing recorded the Star Lords’ insights, developed a cultivation method for Star-Demon Spirit Deity Lords, and devised a new restriction for refining the Galaxy Scroll into a powerful array diagram.

Lin Chong and Lu Zhishen took over Two Dragons Mountain, where Cao Zheng and Yang Zhi joined them as the stronghold grew stronger. Meanwhile, Chao Gai and his companions stole the Birthday Gifts, but He Tao was on his way to arrest them after learning who was involved.

• Lin Chong and Lu Zhishen killed Deng Long, took Two Dragons Mountain, and made Lin Chong its chief chieftain.
• Cao Zheng visited Lin Chong, heard how he had escaped the capital, and was invited to seek refuge at Two Dragons Mountain if he ever needed to.
• Chao Gai, Wu Yong, Gongsun Sheng, Liu Tang, the three Ruans, and Bai Sheng plotted to steal the Birthday Gifts and tricked Yang Zhi out of them.
• Yang Zhi fled after losing the treasure, met Cao Zheng, and went with him to Two Dragons Mountain, where Lin Chong and Lu Zhishen welcomed him as a leader.
• He Qing identified Chao Gai during the theft, and He Tao learned the truth from the captured Bai Sheng and headed to Yun City to arrest the conspirators.

After Song Jiang warned Chao Gai, Chao Gai and his companions fled to Mount Liang, where Wang Lun died and Chao Gai became chief. The arrival of new demons at Mount Liang stirred forces across the Nine Netherworlds, while Cai Jing and his allies planned to exploit the coming conflict.

• Song Jiang warned Chao Gai of the planned arrest, and Chao Gai gathered his companions, burned his estate, and fled toward Stone Tablet Village.
• Chao Gai and his companions killed He Tao and his soldiers, hired Zhu Gui, and traveled to Mount Liang, where Wang Lun welcomed them but grew wary of their strength.
• At a feast, Wang Lun offered the newcomers silver to leave; Liu Tang threatened him, and Wang Lun fell onto a lackey's blade and died.
• Wu Yong claimed Wang Lun's final wish was for Du Qian to lead, but Du Qian yielded the position to Chao Gai, who took the foremost seat and organized Mount Liang's defenses.
• As Chao Gai's group gathered in righteousness, black qi surged from Mount Liang, and Cai Jing, Tong Guan, Yang Jian, and Gao Qiu discussed the demons arriving across the land and their plans to seize power.

Lin Lingsu and Zhang Zhe visited Ling Qing to recruit him into a plan to reclaim the Song Dynasty’s dragon-vein destiny from the Nether Viper. Ling Qing supplied a strand of Azure Emperor’s Longevity Spiritual Qi and agreed to travel with them to Mount Zhongnan.

• Lin Lingsu and Zhang Zhe arrived at Cloudsky Cave and told Ling Qing they had come to seek his help, not Fuyouzi’s.
• Lin Lingsu explained how the Nether Viper had usurped the Red-Bearded Dragon’s destiny and how cultivators planned to use Zhao Ji’s faith in Taoism to divide the devils and reclaim the dragon vein.
• Ling Qing gave Lin Lingsu a strand of Azure Emperor’s Longevity Spiritual Qi for the plan to convince Zhao Ji he was the reincarnation of the Longevity Great Emperor.
• Zhang Zhe described his travels and the planned gathering at Mount Zhongnan, where cultivators would study scriptures and seek to unite Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism.
• After Lin Lingsu invited him to join them and study thunder arts, Ling Qing agreed to travel to Mount Zhongnan.

Ling Qing joined the Daoists of Talisman Register Palace in Eastern Capital City to study thunder methods, while Wang Wenqing explained their plans concerning the dragon vein and Nether Viper. The gathering’s different thunder arts began merging into a shared method, forming five thunder gods within the hall.

• Ling Qing left a message for Fuyouzi and traveled with Lin Lingsu to Eastern Capital City, while Zhang Zhe went west to Mount Zhongnan.
• At Talisman Register Palace, Wang Wenqing and Lin Lingsu welcomed Ling Qing and the gathered Daoists, then explained that their main purpose was to comprehend thunder methods as they pursued the dragon vein plan.
• Wang Wenqing, Lin Lingsu, Liu Hunkang, Zhang Jixian, Sa Shoujian, Tian Yong, Ling Qing, and Chen Xizhen each revealed their thunder methods for the others to examine.
• The thunder methods began merging, with the Five Elements Divine Thunder and Chen Xizhen’s Five Thunders All-Prosperous Great Method joining the foundational methods of Wang Wenqing, Zhang Jixian, and Sa Shoujian.
• Liu Hunkang’s Great Cavern Divine Thunder and Tian Yong’s Golden Light Divine Thunder joined the developing method, and five thunder gods appeared in the hall.

Lin Lingsu and the others compiled their thunder-method insights into the Divine Firmament Thunder Book, then agreed to invite the Son of Heaven and their rivals to establish the Divine Firmament Sect and wrest the dragon-vein fortune from Nether Viper. Cai Jing received Lin Lingsu’s invitation to meet at Mount Song and considered the balance of power among Earth Immortals.

• After three days of comprehending thunder methods, Ling Qing developed the Five Directions Concordance Thunder, while Tian Yong combined the Thirty-Six Thunders with his Golden Light Mantra.
• Wang Wenqing and Lin Lingsu organized the group’s appended thunder scriptures into the Divine Firmament Thunder Book.
• Lin Lingsu proposed inviting Zhao Ji to become sect master and bringing Cai Jing, Tong Guan, and the others into an alliance against Nether Viper.
• Liu Hunkang and Zhang Jixian agreed that the alliance could give them a chance to seize the dragon-vein fortune, and the others raised no objections.
• Lin Lingsu sent Cai Jing an invitation to meet at Mount Song and jointly establish the Divine Firmament Sect.
• Cai Jing read the proposal and considered how schemes could decide the contest between powerful Earth Immortals.

Cai Jing and the fiends debated Lin Lingsu’s invitation and agreed to attend the Mount Song Alliance while guarding their own ambitions. At Jicui Peak, Lin Lingsu tried to persuade them to join the Divine Firmament Sect, but Cai Jing insisted their only goal was to seize the dragon-vein fortune from the Nether Viper.

• Cai Jing gathered Tong Guan, Yang Jian, Gao Qiu, and the other fiends to discuss Lin Lingsu’s invitation, and they agreed the Daoists should lead the alliance so both sides would be implicated if their true natures were exposed.
• Cai Jing and the fiends resolved to use the alliance to contest their arts and pursue the Nether Viper’s fortune, while also intending to drain the world and draw it into the Nine Netherworlds.
• On the day of Start of Autumn, Ling Qing and the Daoists arrived at Jicui Peak and set up a simple reed awning before Cai Jing’s party appeared and conjured a lavish jeweled hall.
• Lin Lingsu invited the fiends to join the Divine Firmament Sect, arguing that they could feed on people’s evil thoughts and gain legitimacy as rulers of the mortal world.
• Cai Jing dismissed Lin Lingsu’s promises and declared that he had come only to wrest the dragon-vein fortune from the Nether Viper.

Cai Jing and Lin Lingsu agreed to settle their dispute over the dragon veins’ fortune through five bouts, with two shares awarded for each victory. In the opening bout, Chen Xizhen fought Cai You with his Divine Firmament Jade Palace Thunder and brought down a thunderous mountain-edict as the battle continued.

• Lin Lingsu proposed that the two sides compete for the dragon veins’ fortune, and Cai Jing set five bouts with two shares for each victory.
• Cai You challenged the Divine Firmament Sect, and Chen Xizhen came down from the reed canopy to face him.
• Chen Xizhen used Responsive Earth Thunder transformed into Divine Wind Thunder to destroy Cai You’s beautiful demon heads.
• Cai You summoned a demonic eye and a blood sea, which clashed with Chen Xizhen’s Water Origin Thunder.
• While Cai You was obscured by water, Chen Xizhen joined Fire Edict Thunder and Heavenly Mountain Thunder into a mountain-edict that crashed down amid lightning and flames.

After Chen Xizhen won the first contest for Lin Lingsu’s side, Tian Yong fought Wang Fu in the second round. Tian Yong’s swordsmanship damaged Wang Fu’s treasured sword, but Wang Fu’s greater cultivation left Tian Yong struggling to withstand his relentless demonic attacks.

• Chen Xizhen destroyed Cai You’s demonic eye and defeated him, while Lin Lingsu caught the Thunderfire Mountain Token before it could damage the mountaintop.
• Lin Lingsu’s side chose Tian Yong for the next round, and Cai Jing sent Wang Fu to fight him.
• Wang Fu transformed into a towering demonic form and attacked Tian Yong with several weapons.
• Tian Yong’s sword-light techniques broke Wang Fu’s Blood Sword, but Wang Fu held his defense and pressed his advantage in cultivation.
• Wang Fu’s spreading demonic qi began to surround Tian Yong, forcing him to expend his sword spirit and lightning to resist.

After Tian Yong conceded the second match to Wang Fu, Gao Qiu entered the third match and challenged Ling Qing, whom he recognized from their earlier encounter. Ling Qing accepted, revealed that he cultivated Primordial One Qi, and effortlessly turned aside Gao Qiu’s opening wave of jade-green fire.

• Tian Yong escaped Wang Fu’s demonic swords with his newly comprehended Thirty-Six Thunder God Swords and returned to the awning, conceding the match.
• Cai Jing called for a fighter in the third match, and Gao Qiu was pressed to take the arena.
• Gao Qiu rejected Zhang Jixian and Sa Shoujian as unsuitable opponents and challenged Ling Qing over their past encounter.
• Sa Shoujian warned Ling Qing about Gao Qiu, but Lin Lingsu revealed that Ling Qing cultivated Primordial One Qi.
• Ling Qing accepted Gao Qiu’s challenge and swept aside the jade-green fire with his whisk.

Ling Qing defeated Gao Qiu by trapping him in the Nine Heavens Ten Grounds Dharma Realm and countering the Nine Netherworld Ghost Fire. After Gao Qiu conceded, Ling Qing told his allies that the divine light and the lantern’s destruction had been an illusion, leaving Cai Jing uncertain about what had truly happened.

• Gao Qiu unleashed Ghost Fire Fireflies that drained Ling Qing’s vitality, but Ling Qing sealed his aura and crushed the insects within his Dharma Realm.
• Gao Qiu used a Human-Skin Lantern to turn Ling Qing’s celestial phenomena to ash and spread the Nine Netherworld Ghost Fire through the Dharma Realm.
• Ling Qing manifested golden and red lotus platforms that suppressed Gao Qiu’s ghost fire, then appeared to erase the Human-Skin Lantern with divine light.
• Fearing the divine light, Gao Qiu conceded, and Ling Qing opened the Dharma Realm to let him leave.
• Ling Qing told Lin Lingsu and the others to keep up appearances, explaining that the divine light and the lantern’s destruction were illusions and that he had secretly suppressed the lantern.
• Cai Jing remained suspicious but could not tell whether Ling Qing’s account was true, while his side accepted that it had lost the round.

Sa Shoujian defeated Liang Shicheng with the Five Thunder Fire Bells and gained insight that carried him into a breakthrough. Lin Lingsu declared the Daoists had won two matches, the opponents departed, and Sa Shoujian’s yin spirit began to manifest.

• Sa Shoujian faced Liang Shicheng in the fourth match and raised the Five Thunder Dukes with a thunderstorm.
• Sa Shoujian combined heavenly fire, earthfire, and thunderfire into the Five Thunder Fire Bells, scorching Liang Shicheng and overturning his Yellow Springs sea.
• Lin Lingsu stopped Liang Shicheng from attacking Sa Shoujian while he comprehended his breakthrough.
• Cai Jing sent Li Yan to interrupt Sa Shoujian, but Zhang Jixian struck Li Yan down with the Orthodox Five Thunder Method.
• Lin Lingsu announced that the Demon King had won two matches and would receive forty percent of the dragon vein's fortune; Cai Jing and his companions left.
• Sa Shoujian’s yin spirit appeared above him and sang as five-colored lightning gathered around it.

Lin Lingsu began his plan to found the Divine Firmament Sect by persuading Zhao Ji that he was the reincarnated Longevity Emperor and that cultivation would cleanse the dragon vein’s fortune. He planted longevity qi and Nine Heavens Divine Thunder in Zhao Ji, leaving the Nether Viper’s dragon qi suppressed within nine thunder palaces and a spiritual seed nourished in his sea of qi.

• After Sa Shoujian’s breakthrough, Lin Lingsu told the Daoists to prepare a sect-founding ritual while he went to meet Zhao Ji.
• Lin Lingsu taught Zhao Ji the Divine Firmament thunder methods, then claimed that Zhao Ji’s failure to cultivate came from a tribulation caused by the realm’s corrupted dragon vein.
• Lin Lingsu told Zhao Ji that he was the reincarnated Longevity Emperor and named Cai Jing, Tong Guan, Liang Shicheng, Yang Jian, Wang Fu, and Gao Qiu as fellow immortal ministers.
• Lin Lingsu presented Zhao Ji with Azure Emperor Longevity Spiritual Qi and explained that cultivating the Divine Firmament methods would cleanse the dragon vein’s fortune.
• With Zhao Ji’s consent, Lin Lingsu planted the longevity qi and Nine Heavens Divine Thunder in his body, forming nine thunder palaces that suppressed the dragon qi and began grinding away the Nether Viper’s netherworld qi.

Lin Lingsu persuaded Zhao Ji to establish the Divine Firmament Sect and use its worship to accelerate his cultivation. As Longevity Palaces spread across the realm, Lin Lingsu and the demons pursued rival plans for the dragon veins, while the sect began staffing its new temples.

• Lin Lingsu helped Zhao Ji lay the foundation of longevity, then persuaded him to establish the Divine Firmament Sect and spread its worship throughout the realm.
• Zhao Ji appointed Lin Lingsu to oversee the sect, approved its worship of the Longevity Emperor and Azure Flower Emperor, and ordered Longevity Palaces built across the provinces and prefectures.
• Lin Lingsu gave Cai Jing and the others a map of dragon-vein nodes, proposing that the palaces gather regional fortune and eventually replace the capital’s occupied fortune dragon pillar.
• Cai Jing and the demons planned to investigate the nodes, form a Nine Dragons Submerged Abyss Grand Formation, and sink the world into the Nine Netherworlds to claim its fortune and living beings.
• Lin Lingsu told Ling Qing, Wang Wenqing, and the others that the sect would convert the dynasty’s fortune and help them seize dragon veins, while warning them to watch Cai Jing’s schemes.
• Cai Jing’s people built Longevity Palaces by requisitioning temples and monasteries, and Lin Lingsu distributed sect disciples and new recruits to oversee them.

Ling Qing gained a deeper understanding of Dao cultivation while helping Lin Lingsu establish the Divine Firmament Sect. The sect’s winter-solstice ritual freed Zhao Ji from the Nether Viper’s restraint and began his struggle to reclaim the realm’s dragon veins, while the cultivators continued their discussion of thunder Dao.

• Ling Qing reflected on Lin Lingsu’s purpose and came to understand the Divine Firmament Sect as a means of proving the Dao.
• At the winter solstice, Zhao Ji, Lin Lingsu, Liu Hunkang, Zhang Jixian, Tian Yong, Ling Qing, and others established the Divine Firmament Sect at Auspicious Spirit Palace.
• The ritual gathered the realm’s dragon veins and used Nine Heavens divine thunder qi to purify Zhao Ji’s dragon qi, causing his Longevity Seed to grow into a Ninefold Coiling Dragon Longevity Tree.
• Cai Jing and Gao Qiu sacrificed criminals in Carefree Cavern to create a grand array that trapped the Nether Viper within the Dragon Pillar of Fate and cut off its escape.
• Zhao Ji merged the Song Dynasty’s national fate with the sect’s fate, freeing himself from the Nether Viper’s restraint and beginning to reclaim control of the dragon veins.
• Ling Qing presented the Primordial One Qi Divine Thunder at Talisman Register Palace, and Tian Yong found a path forward as the cultivators discussed the Dao.

Ling Qing drew on the lightning arts of Wang Wenqing, Lin Lingsu, Zhang Jixian, and Sa Shoujian as he prepared to condense the Five Emperor True Forms. He began refining the Azure Emperor within his liver, chanting the Eastern Nine-Qi Lingbao Jade Chapter to gather qi and forge its primal spirit.

• Tian Yong merged the Thirty-Six Lightning Arts with his swordsmanship and refined Dragon Chant Thunderlight Sword Qi.
• Ling Qing learned from the other cultivators' lightning arts, gaining insight into Divine Firmament Five Thunders and Nine Heavens Divine Thunder.
• After refining the Five Spirit, Five Sacred Mountains, and Five Thunder True Forms, Ling Qing prepared to condense the Five Emperor True Forms by joining his own qi and spirit with theirs.
• Ling Qing began with the Azure Emperor, chanting the Eastern Nine-Qi Lingbao Jade Chapter to gather nine qi and refine the Azure Emperor's primal spirit.

Ling Qing observed Wu Song’s demonic cultivation advance as Wu Song avenged Wu Dalang after the authorities refused to punish his murderers. Wu Song’s resolve to uphold justice himself awakened the Taowu dharma form within him.

• Ling Qing checked the Dream Realm’s Star Lords and saw that many had refined dharma forms, while Lu Junyi had progressed especially quickly.
• Wu Song killed Wu Dalang’s wife and offered her organs at a spirit table before setting out to confront Ximen Qing.
• Ling Qing reviewed how Wu Song had learned from Song Jiang, slain a Tiger Demon, shared his reward with the hunters, and become a chief constable.
• After returning to Yanggu County, Wu Song investigated Wu Dalang’s murder, but the magistrate dismissed his complaint after taking Ximen Qing’s bribe.
• Wu Song killed the adulteress, confronted Ximen Qing, bound Wang Po, and went to surrender with evidence and the heads.
• Wu Song’s decision to seek justice through his own strength awakened his demonic star, which formed a Taowu dharma form.

Wu Song was sentenced to exile at Mengzhou Prison Camp after the magistrates softened his punishment, while Ling Qing let his karmic tribulation proceed. Chan Master Dahui and Elder Zhizhen watched and discussed how Wu Song might survive his coming encounter with Sun Erniang at Crossroads Slope.

• The county magistrate blamed Ximen Qing and arranged a light sentence for Wu Song, and the Ministry of Punishments ultimately exiled him to Mengzhou Prison Camp.
• Chan Master Dahui and Elder Zhizhen discussed the Divine Firmament Sect’s growing power and decided to watch Ling Qing handle Wu Song’s tribulation.
• Chan Master Dahui revealed that he had turned part of Wu Song’s evil thoughts into a murderous ascetic whose guise Wu Song would need to reclaim to preserve his original nature.
• Ling Qing focused on cultivation and gathering the Heavenly Gang and Earth Sha while watching Wu Song approach Sun Erniang at Crossroads Slope.

Ling Qing advanced his studies of divine powers while teaching in Eastern Capital City. At Crossroads Slope, Wu Song fought Sun Erniang and was trapped in an illusion where he felt his limbs being cut off.

• Tian Yong became a Divine Firmament Inspector and traveled the land, slaying evildoers and clearing obstacles for the sect.
• Ling Qing taught the Dharma to the Divine Firmament Sect and Zhao Ji while focusing his cultivation on Moving Stars and Shifting Constellations and Mastery of the Five Thunders.
• Wu Song arrived at Sun Erniang's inn with two constables, and Sun Erniang initially decided to let them go after finding little karmic sin on them.
• Wu Song recognized the steamed buns as human flesh and provoked Sun Erniang, who attacked him with a white-bone dagger.
• Wu Song knocked Sun Erniang back, but the inn and the two constables vanished as Sun Erniang trapped him in a blood-red illusion.
• Wu Song smashed through a door and saw a figure mutilating someone on a skinning bench, while he felt sharp pain in his own hands and feet.

Wu Song fought through Sun Erniang’s illusions and battled her in the Hell Tavern, where their clash destroyed her Steamer Hell and unleashed the ghosts and sins she had suppressed. Sun Erniang resisted demonic corruption and began repairing her divine residence, while Zhang Qing arrived and Wu Song blocked his path.

• Wu Song broke through illusions of himself being tortured and found Sun Erniang feeding on the two escorts in the tavern.
• Sun Erniang revealed her Yaksha form and fought Wu Song inside her Eighteen-Layer Steamer Hell, weakening him with its heat.
• Wu Song transformed into a Taowu and received the Azure Dragon and White Tiger ring sabers, then used them to shatter the Steamer Hell.
• The destroyed divine residence released Sun Erniang’s suppressed sins and ghosts, but she resisted corruption and began repairing the steamer as Ling Qing watched.
• Zhang Qing arrived and tried to reach Sun Erniang, but Wu Song blocked him with his twin sabers.