Recaps

Chen Cheng accepted seven Supreme-Grade Aperture-Refining Profound Pills from Luo Hanying, tested how his Blazingheart Profound Fire could refine beast flesh and artifacts, and cultivated before returning to Di Luo Plain. There, he learned his father might be in danger and found Breezewind Water Stronghold devastated, then recognized someone among the people arriving by treasure ship.

• Luo Hanying gave Chen Cheng seven Supreme-Grade Aperture-Refining Profound Pills and explained she had been staying aboard her Profound Warship rather than entering Emperorfall City.
• Chen Cheng used the Blazingheart Profound Fire to refine Blazingheart Tiger Beast Essence Flesh into Spiritual Qi Essence, then burned his Rank Eight and Rank Nine Precious Armor and fed their essence to the Thunder Radiance Sword.
• Chen Cheng cultivated for several days, and Song Linwei told him that Baili Jueluo's forces had taken three prefectures, Shattered Leaf City had fallen, and Chen Cheng's father might be in grave danger.
• Song Linwei warned Chen Cheng that Shanhai Sect could be targeted as the Northern Yin forces advanced, strengthening his resolve to grow stronger.
• Chen Cheng returned to Di Luo Plain and found the area near Breezewind Water Stronghold strewn with corpses and signs of a bloody battle, which he realized he might have avoided by following Ji Yujin's warning.
• A treasure ship arrived through the sea fog, and Chen Cheng recognized one of the people who disembarked before spurring his horse toward them.

Chen Cheng investigated the massacre at Breezewind Water Stronghold and learned that Yuwen Min and Bai Xinjie were missing, then secretly followed Qiu Tongtian’s group instead of returning to the sect. In the forest, bandits ambushed him, but after he revealed he had survived, he killed most of them before Lord Envoy attacked him with demonic blades.

• Qiu Tongtian told Chen Cheng that the Demonic Sacred Sect’s saintess had led the attack on Breezewind Water Stronghold, and Yuwen Min and Bai Xinjie remained missing.
• Chen Cheng questioned why the Demonic Sacred Sect had raided the stronghold and learned that the Vast Righteousness Alliance planned to target the saintess.
• Chen Cheng agreed to return to the sect but secretly followed Qiu Tongtian’s group with the Howling Sky Eagle watching from above.
• Bandits shot Chen Cheng with a concealed arrow in the forest, but they found no blood and realized he was still alive.
• Chen Cheng sprang up and killed the bandits with his fists, kicks, and rapid bow shots, leaving the one-eyed leader alive.
• Lord Envoy appeared to protect the one-eyed bandit, then sent demonic energy and twin curved blades toward Chen Cheng.

Chen Cheng killed Lord Demon Envoy and the one-eyed bandit, then disguised himself as Hall Master Chu to infiltrate a demonic-path stronghold. His Gu Insects uncovered a camp of more than a hundred disciples, and he recognized a familiar woman's voice from inside Protector Han's tent.

• Chen Cheng used Punitive Thunder to defeat Lord Demon Envoy, then beheaded him and killed the one-eyed bandit.
• Chen Cheng looted the corpses, fed their spiritual qi essence to the Blood Immortal Gu, Corpse Demon Gu, and Howling Sky Eagle, and learned the Heavenly Demon Fangblade.
• Chen Cheng disguised himself as Hall Master Chu and tricked a group of demonic-path disciples into leading him toward their hidden stronghold.
• Chen Cheng sent the Blood Immortal Gu and Corpse Demon Gu into a valley, where they found more than a hundred demonic-path disciples, many of them wounded.
• Protector Han emerged from the largest tent, and Chen Cheng recognized a familiar woman's voice calling her Sister Feng.

Chen Cheng overheard Lin Yue colluding with the Nine Demons Alliance, then killed her and took the rewards she had received. He rushed to warn Luo Hanying after learning the Vast Righteousness Alliance planned to ambush her, but saw her enter the mountain forest before he could catch up.

• Chen Cheng overheard Lin Yue tell Han Feng that the Vast Righteousness Alliance planned to ambush Luo Hanying, and learned Lin Yue had received medicines, an alchemy technique, and pill formulas.
• Lin Yue rode toward Chen Cheng, mistook him for Brother Xiao, and told him she had helped the Nine Demons Alliance and wanted him to kill Chen Cheng.
• Chen Cheng stabbed Lin Yue with his Thundercrystal Profound Sword, burned her to ash, and took her chest and other belongings.
• Chen Cheng rode toward Qiu Tongtian's group, then spotted a warship unloading supplies near the coast and rushed there on foot.
• Luo Hanying disembarked with Dong Ba, Sun Ru, and Xue Manning, dismissed their argument, and led them and the supplies into the forest while Chen Cheng remained too far away to reach them in time.

Chen Cheng rescued Luo Hanying from a poisoned ambush, escaped with her through the sea, and later returned to the Northern Emperor Demon-Subduing Sect. After buying ingredients for pills and speaking with Li Chenyuan about Chu Muzhen’s disappearance, Chen Cheng discovered that Ning Shuangxu was missing from his cave dwelling.

• Chen Cheng saw through the Howling Sky Eagle that Luo Hanying had escaped the ambush, then carried her away from her pursuers through the sea.
• Luo Hanying woke on a beach after Chen Cheng removed the poison from her wounds, and she told him she would handle the next steps herself.
• Chen Cheng returned to the Northern Emperor Demon-Subduing Sect, asked friends to watch for news of Yuwen Min, and bought Treasure Medicines from the General Affairs Hall.
• Li Chenyuan questioned Chen Cheng about Chu Muzhen’s disappearance, and Chen Cheng said their group had been scattered by a Blazing Heart Tiger.
• Li Fusheng suspected Chen Cheng’s account but Li Chenyuan warned him not to provoke Chen Cheng and told him to focus on the Star Ranking competition.
• Chen Cheng returned to Coiling Dragon Cliff and discovered that Ning Shuangxu had disappeared from his cave dwelling.

Chen Cheng returned to Purple Empyrean Peak, reaffirmed that he would endure the Longevity Pills, and accepted Jiang Yunyao’s bet that he would last six months. He began refining two Profound Pills together, then advanced Marrow-Washing Taiji to the Body-Tempering Stage and discovered its immense physical demands and benefits.

• Chen Cheng reunited with Ning Shuangxu, whom Zhu Xian'er had invited to help with medicinal herbs, and learned Zhu Xian'er planned to give her a treasured zither.
• An Lingyue checked Chen Cheng and confirmed that he had been taking the Longevity Pills, while Jiang Yunyao warned that he would eventually leave Purple Empyrean Peak and invited him to Green Bamboo Peak.
• Chen Cheng refused Jiang Yunyao’s invitation and bet that he could endure the Longevity Pills for six months; he also revealed that Master Wang Changsheng expected him to refine a ninth-rank treasure pill within three years.
• Chen Cheng returned to his cave dwelling and prepared to refine the Aperture-Refining Profound Pill and Aperture-Nourishing Profound Pill together in one cauldron.
• A month later, Chen Cheng completed Fire-Nurturing Stage Marrow-Washing Taiji and advanced to the Body-Tempering Stage, whose True Fire training left him exhausted but promised a major increase in his physique.

Chen Cheng refined open his Second Divine Aperture and went to the Battle Star Platform, where he watched Lu Zhenting defeat Zhang Jiuheng and claim tenth place on the Star Ranking. After the match, Lu Zhenting came directly toward Chen Cheng, leaving the crowd to wonder whom he intended to challenge.

• Chen Cheng refined open his Second Divine Aperture and continued tempering his arts while preparing to use higher-grade pills for further breakthroughs.
• Chen Cheng met Tuoba Longlie and Fu Qianzhong on the way to the Battle Star Platform and learned that Northern Yin had occupied three prefectures of the Kingdom of Sorrow.
• Ji Jingyou told Chen Cheng he was nearly ready for another infusion of cultivation, while Chen Cheng revealed that he had opened his Second Divine Aperture.
• Lu Zhenting defeated Zhang Jiuheng, who conceded and yielded his tenth-place Star Ranking position.
• Lu Zhenting searched the spectators, fixed his gaze on Chen Cheng, and walked toward him.

Chen Cheng drew suspicion from Northern Yin’s warmongers while Lu Zhenting thanked him for transforming his fortunes. Ji Jingyou defeated Li Chenyuan on the Battle Star Platform, and Tan Chen and Huo Mankun began considering how to deal with Ji Jingyou as two people hurried toward Chen Cheng.

• Huo Mankun asked Tan Chen whether Chen Cheng was connected to Ji Jingyou and Lu Zhenting entering the Black Law Punitive Thunder Scripture, and Tan Chen insisted that Chen Cheng had to die regardless.
• Tan Chen silenced Huo Mankun when he mentioned his relationship with Lin Yue, then heard that Lin Yue, the Chu brothers, and Lin Yun had vanished after the brothers entered the mountains with Chen Cheng.
• Lu Zhenting told Chen Cheng that his father was searching for Yuwen Min and offered to help Chen Cheng reach the Star Ranking’s top ten, while crediting Chen Cheng for his new status and success.
• Ji Jingyou challenged Li Chenyuan with the Sect Master's sword art, Seven Steps Chasing the Mountain, and defeated him after Li refused to concede.
• Huo Mankun urged Tan Chen to prioritize Ji Jingyou, and they discussed taking a dangerous gamble because Ji Jingyou never left the sect.
• A young man and woman hurried toward Chen Cheng.

Chen Cheng accepted Li Fusheng’s real combat death match after Li Fusheng claimed he could reveal Yuwen Min’s whereabouts, despite Qu Fanghua warning him and Ji Jingyou choosing Chen Cheng over the Sorrow Soul Salvation Society. On the Battle Star Platform, Chen Cheng revealed overwhelming strength, destroying Li Fusheng and his weapons with a single punch.

• Qu Fanghua invited Ji Jingyou to join the Sorrow Soul Salvation Society, and Ji Jingyou agreed while refusing to recruit Chen Cheng.
• Li Fusheng challenged Chen Cheng, claiming he would disclose Yuwen Min’s whereabouts if Chen Cheng won; Chen Cheng accepted the death match.
• Qu Fanghua revealed that Li Fusheng had secretly opened his Sixth Divine Aperture, but Ji Jingyou and Lu Zhenting chose to trust Chen Cheng.
• Huo Mankun and Tan Chen hoped the fight would eliminate Chen Cheng, while Fu Qianzhong held back from stopping the match so she could see his true strength.
• Li Fusheng admitted he had lied about knowing Yuwen Min’s whereabouts, but Chen Cheng rushed forward, stopped his blade with one hand, shattered his shield, and killed him with a punch.
• Chen Cheng crushed Li Fusheng’s high-tier treasure blade in his hand, leaving the arena stunned.

Chen Cheng defeated Li Fusheng, then survived Li Chenyuan’s surprise attack by using a mirror-image afterimage. He countered Li Chenyuan’s final strike with Perfect Punitive Thunder and split his head with the Thunder Radiance Sword.

• Chen Cheng killed Li Fusheng with one punch, stunning the spectators and impressing Ji Jingyou, Lu Zhenting, and Shen Zhong.
• Qu Fanghua left in shame, but she and the others stopped when Li Chenyuan suddenly attacked Chen Cheng from behind with twin blades.
• Li Chenyuan burned Chen Cheng’s mirror-image afterimage to ash, then struck Zhang Song with a thrown saber to delay him.
• Li Chenyuan charged the real Chen Cheng and unleashed Hundred Demon-Blade Slashes, while Chen Cheng spotted the attack’s flaw and lunged inside its openings.
• Chen Cheng’s Thunder Radiance Sword and Perfect Punitive Thunder shattered Li Chenyuan’s demonic Qi Aura, and Chen Cheng split Li Chenyuan’s head with an upward slash.

Chen Cheng defeated Li Chenyuan, then cleared Qi Jingchu’s suspicion of demonic ties and earned her favor. He refused Shen Zhong’s invitation to the Sorrow Soul Salvation Society and was ranked sixth on the Star Ranking, leaving him likely to face challengers in the coming ranking battle.

• Chen Cheng killed Li Chenyuan with one sword, shocking the crowd and drawing the attention of Huo Mankun, Tan Chen, and Shen Zhong.
• Qi Jingchu accused Chen Cheng of practicing demonic techniques, but her examination found no demonic qi; she apologized with a Lower-Grade Aperture-Refining Profound Pill and asked him for pure yang virgin blood for her sword.
• Chen Cheng gave Qi Jingchu more than ten drops of blood, and she promised to repay the favor.
• Chen Cheng rejected Shen Zhong’s invitation to join the Sorrow Soul Salvation Society, saying he disliked scheming and intrigue.
• Zhang Song announced that Ji Jingyou ranked fifth and Chen Cheng sixth on the Star Ranking, prompting speculation that others would challenge Chen Cheng before the ranking battle in two months.

Chen Cheng used Feng Fang to capture Huo Mankun and Tan Chen, killed Huo Mankun, and turned Tan Chen into his third Moon Slave. After sending Tan Chen back as an informant, Chen Cheng asked Feng Fang about his recovery and considered which martial art and skill to bestow on him.

• Chen Cheng left his grotto-dwelling after noticing Huo Mankun’s Green-Eyed Crow watching the area and lured Huo Mankun and Tan Chen to a cave outside the sect.
• Feng Fang seized both men, and Chen Cheng revealed that Feng Fang served him as his master.
• Chen Cheng had Feng Fang kill Huo Mankun and used the No-Thought Moon Eye to make Tan Chen his third Moon Slave.
• Chen Cheng took the valuables from Huo Mankun and Tan Chen, refined Huo Mankun’s weapon and corpse, and ordered Tan Chen to return and report useful intelligence.
• Feng Fang told Chen Cheng that his Endless trait was slowly healing and strengthening him, and Chen Cheng asked what martial art and skill he should bestow on Feng Fang.

Chen Cheng bestowed fire control and martial arts on Feng Fang, then cultivated until he opened his third Divine Aperture before going to the Star Ranking’s Rank-Setting Grand Competition. His arrival ended speculation that he would avoid the real-combat challenges, as Qi Jingchu and the others spotted him approaching the Battle Star Platform.

• Chen Cheng granted Feng Fang the Nine-Turn Spirit-Melting Art and a seed of Blazingheart Profound Fire, then taught him entry-level mastery of the White Lotus Canon while discovering that the Vertical Eye Mark bypassed its castration requirement.
• Chen Cheng used Mid-Grade and Supreme-Grade Aperture-Refining Profound Pills during secluded cultivation, opened his third Divine Aperture, and completed Marrow-Washing Taiji’s body-tempering stage.
• Chen Cheng checked the nearly finished Profound Pills in the Little Black Cauldron, changed into his disciple’s robe, and left for the Rank-Setting Grand Competition.
• At the Battle Star Platform, An Lingyue rejected Jiang Yunyao’s claim that Chen Cheng would avoid the contest, while Qi Jingchu said she approved of him staying away if he feared injury.
• Ning Shuangxu alerted Chen Cheng to the competition, and Qi Jingchu and Fu Qianzhong spotted him arriving at the platform.

Chen Cheng chose to face Li Juye in the Star Ranking tournament, despite warnings that Li Juye was an Eight-Aperture cultivator with powerful equipment. Chen Cheng’s opening strike sent Li Juye crashing across the platform, but Li Juye rallied with his Azure Profound Moon Slash as Chen Cheng pressed his attack.

• Zhang Song announced the updated rankings and explained the tournament rules, while Huang Donglai, Li Juye, and Gu Fei emerged as Chen Cheng’s challengers.
• Chen Cheng chose Li Juye, and Zhang Song warned him about Li Juye’s cultivation and Profound Realm armor and blade.
• Li Juye arrived on the platform, while spectators doubted Chen Cheng could win and worried that he would have to surrender.
• Chen Cheng rushed Li Juye with a thunder-charged punch, revealing strength comparable to the Eight-Aperture God-Casting Realm and sending Li Juye crashing into the platform.
• Chen Cheng followed with a swift Sword Qi attack, but Li Juye unleashed his eight Divine Apertures and began his Azure Profound Moon Slash.

Chen Cheng defeated Li Juye in a fierce Star Ranking match, breaking his Profound Realm saber and cutting through his armor before Li Juye conceded. Chen Cheng defended fifth place, and the chapter ended with Gu Fei facing the choice of whether to challenge him.

• Li Juye unleashed a net of azure saber qi, but Chen Cheng countered with his sword fingers, matching the attack despite their difference in apertures.
• Li Juye charged with his strongest slash, and Chen Cheng's fingertips broke his Second-Tier Profound Realm saber before cutting through his armor and wounding him.
• Li Juye cried out that he conceded, and Zhang Song declared Chen Cheng the winner and confirmed he had defended fifth place on the Star Ranking.
• An Lingyue praised Chen Cheng's victory to Jiang Yunyao, while Green Bamboo Peak's disciples departed with hostile looks and Qu Fanghua admitted she had misjudged him.
• Huang Donglai declined to challenge Chen Cheng, and Zhang Song turned to Gu Fei as the crowd watched for his answer.

Chen Cheng secured fifth place in the Star Ranking tournament and refused Shen Zhong’s offer to join the Sorrow Soul Salvation Society. After the rankings were settled, an unfamiliar disciple approached him with a message that someone wanted to meet him.

• Gu Fei challenged Ran Shuang, who conceded, and Huang Donglai defeated Ruan Xiao in three moves after revealing his eighth Divine Aperture.
• Ran Shuang defeated Zhang Jiuheng to take tenth place, while Lu Zhenting deterred challengers by displaying his Punitive Thunder.
• Ji Jingyou revealed that he had reached the Divine Vein Level, and Chen Cheng worried about finding cultivation resources before the competition in two months.
• Zhu Chong defended eighth place, and Zhang Song finalized the standings with Chen Cheng fifth and Ran Shuang tenth; the top ten would represent the sect at the alliance competition.
• An unfamiliar female disciple approached Chen Cheng after the tournament and said someone wanted to see him.

After Chen Cheng met Gu Zhilan and accepted her gift in exchange for looking after Gu Fei, Gu Fei challenged him to a spar. Chen Cheng revealed a self-derived lightning restraint art and then copied Gu Fei’s saber technique at a deeper level, leaving Gu Fei bound and conceding again.

• Gu Zhilan welcomed Chen Cheng, gave him three Mid-Grade Aperture-Refining Profound Pills, and asked him to look after Gu Fei during the Vast Righteousness Alliance competition.
• Gu Fei approached Chen Cheng and requested a friendly spar, displaying a twin palm-blade technique that combined yielding and forceful movements.
• Gu Fei’s technique entangled Chen Cheng with streams of qi, but Chen Cheng stopped him with his self-derived Thunder Prison and then released him.
• Gu Fei and the Inner Sect disciples learned that Chen Cheng had derived Thunder Prison by studying the Black Law Punitive Thunder Scripture, and Gu Fei conceded the first exchange.
• Chen Cheng continued the spar without Thunder Prison, replicated Gu Fei’s technique, and bound him with stronger currents of qi.
• Gu Fei conceded again, but Chen Cheng said he had not had his fill and proposed continuing without using those currents of qi.

Chen Cheng defeated Gu Fei by reading the patterns in his qi currents, then accepted support and pills from Gu Zhilan and An Lingyue. He took a Great Longevity Pill for its restorative power and was plunged into terrifying mental hallucinations.

• Chen Cheng sparred with Gu Fei while keeping his eyes closed, evading and deflecting Gu Fei’s twin-blade attacks by predicting them from the flow of qi.
• Gu Fei recognized Chen Cheng’s method, conceded defeat, and praised his perception of qi currents.
• Gu Zhilan offered Chen Cheng monthly support from her household, which he accepted, and Gu Fei promised to spar with him again after making progress.
• An Lingyue gave Chen Cheng three High-Grade Aperture-Refining Profound Pills from their master and three Mid-Grade pills of her own, then told him about the upcoming Outer Sect Tournament.
• Chen Cheng took a Great Longevity Pill to restore his body, but its effects triggered severe mental pain and hallucinations.

Chen Cheng recovered quickly from the Great Longevity Pill’s toxins and revealed that he was already refining Profound Pills with perfect fire control and alchemy. His display earned Wang Changsheng’s recognition and substantial cultivation resources, while Chen Cheng asked how he might help his master’s mental condition.

• An Lingyue and Zhu Xian'er worried over Chen Cheng’s reaction to the pill, but Chen Cheng recovered and attributed it to his poison resistance, concealing how his abilities had actually eliminated the toxins.
• Chen Cheng told An Lingyue and Zhu Xian'er that he was close to finishing Profound Pills, then showed them two batches being refined with perfect fire control and flawless alchemy.
• An Lingyue praised Chen Cheng as Purple Empyrean Peak’s greatest alchemy genius and went with Zhu Xian'er to report his progress to Wang Changsheng.
• Chen Cheng used the Great Longevity Pill’s restorative effects to train Marrow-Washing Body-Tempering Taiji and considered learning to refine Great Longevity Pills himself.
• An Lingyue returned with three Supreme-Grade Aperture-Refining Profound Pills and ten Great Longevity Pills from Wang Changsheng, who promised to provide Chen Cheng with more resources.
• Chen Cheng thanked Wang Changsheng and asked An Lingyue about his master’s mental condition and whether he could help.

Chen Cheng agreed to help Gu Fei’s family alchemy house deal with eighteen unstable pill furnaces, but Gu Dezhao hired He Lianhong, who demanded more payment after inspecting the crisis. Gu Dezhao then sent Gu Fei to fetch Chen Cheng, leaving their competing solutions about to meet.

• An Lingyue told Chen Cheng that Master was only mentally weakened and mentioned the upcoming Alchemy Dao Grand Competition, while Chen Cheng declined to commit to entering.
• After opening his fourth divine aperture, Chen Cheng received support from the Gu Lineage, and Gu Fei asked him to help stabilize eighteen dangerously out-of-control furnaces at the Gu Family Grand Alchemy House.
• Chen Cheng agreed to handle the furnaces himself and traveled with Gu Fei to Emperorfall City, where they learned Gu Dezhao had gone to hire another alchemist.
• Gu Dezhao returned with He Lianhong, a grand alchemist from the Divine Owl Sect, who demonstrated his skill by suppressing the flames erupting from the underground refining chamber.
• After examining the furnaces, He Lianhong demanded more payment, and Gu Fei told Gu Dezhao that Chen Cheng was waiting at the house.
• Gu Dezhao ordered Gu Fei to fetch Chen Cheng and let him try to solve the crisis.

Chen Cheng resolved the crisis in the Gu Household’s eighteen alchemical furnaces, impressing Gu Dezhao and He Lianhong with his skill. He accepted a shop on Vermilion Bird Avenue to start a pill business and received an invitation to examine a mysterious Divine Owl Sect formula; afterward, he went to visit Bai Fengyi.

• Chen Cheng arrived with Gu Fei and dismissed Gu Dezhao’s warnings and He Lianhong’s doubts before using a Profound Realm Fire Control Technique to contain the chamber’s flames.
• Chen Cheng entered the alchemy chamber and used the Nine-Turn Spirit-Melting Art and Mysterious Separation Core-Condensing Art to restore the balance in all eighteen furnaces without damaging their ingredients.
• Gu Dezhao offered Chen Cheng a reward, and Chen Cheng asked for help opening a pill business; Gu Dezhao gave him a shop on Vermilion Bird Avenue and promised furnaces and ingredients.
• He Lianhong invited Chen Cheng to visit the Divine Owl Sect in three days and examine a mysterious pill formula copied from an ancient stone stele.
• Gu Dezhao and Gu Fei helped Chen Cheng take ownership of the shop, then Chen Cheng quietly went to Bai Fengyi’s courtyard.

Chen Cheng opened the Chen Family Alchemy House and demonstrated his skill by refining two Profound Pills at once in public. The finished pills left Fang Mufeng and Gu Dezhao speechless as the crowd waited for their assessment.

• Chen Cheng bestowed alchemy techniques and a blazingheart profound fire seed on Bai Fengyi, appointing her the alchemist for his new shop.
• The Gu family delivered furnaces and medicinal ingredients, while Shen Mi and masked Bai Fengyi helped prepare the alchemy house for opening.
• Chen Cheng unveiled the Chen Family Alchemy House, and Gu Dezhao introduced him as an eighteen-year-old Profound Realm master alchemist.
• Fang Mufeng questioned Chen Cheng's abilities, then watched as Chen Cheng refined two different Profound Pills simultaneously.
• Chen Cheng presented the finished pills, but Fang Mufeng and Gu Dezhao were too stunned to assess them, so Chen Cheng asked Fang Mufeng for his verdict.

Chen Cheng returned toward Di Luo Plain with Fang Mufeng and Gu Fei after earning acclaim for refining supreme-grade pills and avoiding He Lianhong. When He Lianhong appeared near the Nine Demons Alliance’s base, assassins ambushed the three, and Chen Cheng faced five powerful attackers as Fang Mufeng and Gu Fei feared for his life.

• Fang Mufeng appraised Chen Cheng’s two pills as supreme grade, drawing attention from Emperorfall City’s major families and businesses, whom Chen Cheng directed to Shen Mi for business matters.
• Chen Cheng asked Fang Mufeng about He Lianhong, and Fang Mufeng warned him of He Lianhong’s cruelty and the Divine Owl Sect’s hostility; they agreed to return to the sect together after a delay.
• Chen Cheng, Fang Mufeng, and Gu Fei boarded a treasure ship, where they encountered He Lianhong, then traveled onward after disembarking at Di Luo Plain.
• Chen Cheng spotted He Lianhong riding toward the Nine Demons Alliance’s base and suspected he had helped enable the massacre at Breezewind Water Stronghold, but chose not to pursue him without more certainty.
• More than a dozen masked assassins sprang from the trees and attacked; Fang Mufeng moved to protect Gu Fei while Chen Cheng was surrounded by five opponents, including two at the Nine-Aperture God-Forging Realm.
• Fang Mufeng and Gu Fei shouted in alarm as Chen Cheng faced the attackers, then both stared in shock at what happened next.

Chen Cheng used Thunder Prison and precise qi control to defeat several Nine-Aperture God-Forging Realm enemies and drive off the survivors. He pursued the attackers, but one died by poison before questioning, and the chapter ended with Gu Fei calling for help after being injured by another fugitive.

• Chen Cheng killed the burly enemy with Thunder Prison and a sword-finger strike, then redirected two tornado attacks with controlled qi streams.
• Chen Cheng bound the attackers with the tornado ring, killed three supporting enemies, and obliterated the other Nine-Aperture enemy with a collapsing force.
• Fang Mufeng, Chen Cheng, and Gu Fei pursued the fleeing enemies, with Fang Mufeng killing four and each of them chasing a different target.
• Chen Cheng cornered his target, but the enemy bit a hidden poison capsule and died before Chen Cheng could question him.
• Gu Fei cried for help after another fleeing enemy injured him and escaped into dense forest.

Chen Cheng pursued a fleeing death warrior but was confronted by a powerful Man in Blue Armor, whose spear and attacks pushed him to the brink. The chapter ended with Chen Cheng resisting the man’s Life-Taking Stomp using countless Golden Amber Threads.

• Chen Cheng chased the wounded enemy, but his No-Thought Moon Eye failed because the man was already a spirit slave.
• The Man in Blue Armor hurled a Coiling Dragon spear at Chen Cheng, who evaded it with Moon Step of Impermanence and Instant Shift.
• The Man in Blue Armor shattered Chen Cheng’s mirror images and struck him with a punch that blasted him into the ground without breaking his arm.
• The death warrior transformed into a Corpse Demon and attacked the Man in Blue Armor, who punched it into fragments before stomping toward Chen Cheng.
• Chen Cheng resisted the Man in Blue Armor’s Life-Taking Stomp as Golden Amber Threads wrapped around his arms and began biting at the man’s legs.