Chapter Summaries

Zhu Yu killed Immortal Liu, but her Dao Fruit and Blood Qi vanished, leaving him to suspect the God Word was involved. After her death, Ma Yingxiong agreed to hand over Zhang Dadan to the Heavenly Principle Sect, while Immortal Liu’s girl host disappeared into the night.

• Immortal Liu attacked Zhu Yu but was struck down by his throwing knife and killed after recognizing his Martial Dao Golden Body.
• Zhu Yu found that Immortal Liu’s Dao Fruit, Blood Qi, and soul were gone, then reduced her body to ash and gave her blood bead to Wind Ghost.
• Zhu Yu sent Wind Ghost and the Yinming Mansion disciple back to Ma Family City to demand Zhang Dadan, while he returned with Fang Yuan.
• The girl holding the golden bean reacted to Immortal Liu’s death, manifested the God Word [Unity Knot], and vanished into the night after learning of Zhu Yu’s Martial Dao Golden Body.
• Ma Yingxiong heard that the Heavenly Principle Sect had returned without Immortal Liu and ordered Zhang Dadan brought out, despite Ma Yingqiong’s objections.

Wind Ghost brought Liang Kuan to Little Green Mountain, where Zhu Yu revealed his identity and helped him resume cultivation. As Human Hope gathered at the mountain, Zhu Yu weighed whether to keep building his sect or turn it into a rebel force.

• Wind Ghost exchanged Zhang Dadan for Liang Kuan and left the Yinming Mansion disciple with the Ma brothers, who discovered that Little Daoist Nun had disappeared.
• The next morning, Wind Ghost brought Liang Kuan to Little Green Mountain and was astonished by its dense Human Hope.
• Zhu Yu ordered Wind Ghost to bring the People-Soothing Guards at Body Refining Perfection to the mountain, train them, and form them into the Peace Guard after they reached the God Speech Realm.
• Zhu Yu revealed his identity to Liang Kuan, gave him a Body Refining Method, and urged him to restore his cultivation.
• Zhu Yu considered whether to continue developing his sect or transform it into a rebel warlord force.

Zhu Yu decided to contact Wu Yong while planning to spread the Unborn Venerable Mother's gospel, unaware that Wu Yong was already searching for his revived younger brother. As news of a Zhang Clan ancestor's breakthrough drew the Nine Provinces' attention, the Heroes Ranking changed and listed Wu San in place of Bu Lingyun.

• Zhu Yu decided to keep his plans unchanged until Fang Yuan, Zhong Li, and the others reached the Dao Fruit Realm, then ordered a Holy Guard to bring writing supplies.
• Wu Yong learned that the village where he had been searching was abandoned, asked about recent Dao Fruit breakthroughs, and decided to seek help from the White Lotus Sect's steward.
• Wu Yong tested the golden Blood Qi True Essence that had flowed from his Dao Fruit and concluded that his revived younger brother Mi Gousheng had sent it through the Divine Seed.
• Wu Yong resolved to find Mi Gousheng and help him, believing his younger brother had become a formidable Dao Fruit expert.
• A Zhang Clan ancestor in Qing Province broke through to the Martial God Realm, and the clan announced a banquet to share his breakthrough experience.
• The World Tower rankings changed, with Wu San replacing Bu Lingyun, the Blood-Dripping Sword, at tenth place on the Heroes Ranking.

After appearing on the Heroes Ranking, Zhu Yu planned how to gather enough resources to raise his chances of reaching Foundation Establishment and ordered Fang Yuan to prepare for a Dao Fruit breakthrough. Li Han, head of the Mengwu Li Clan, asked Zhu Yu if he wanted Mengwu City, and Zhu Yu answered no.

• Zhu Yu saw that Wu San had reached tenth place on the Heroes Ranking and learned of Immortal Liu and the Martial Dao Golden Body.
• Zhu Yu calculated how his Spirit Ruins Origin and other resources could improve his chances of Foundation Establishment, then told Fang Yuan to prepare for a Dao Fruit breakthrough.
• Zhu Yu ordered Zhong Li to check his Apertures carefully and continued watching his followers cultivate on Little Green Mountain.
• Wind Ghost reported that a grain caravan was approaching Mizhi Prefecture, and Zhu Yu ordered the People-Soothing Guard to disguise themselves as bandits and gain experience on the road.
• Li Yu brought Li Han, head of the Mengwu Li Clan, to meet Zhu Yu, and Li Han asked whether Zhu Yu wanted Mengwu City; Zhu Yu said no.

Zhu Yu rejected Li Han’s plea for support, and Li Yu killed the patriarch, took command of the Li Clan, and set out to confront Li Chen with Zhu Yu’s backing. Fang Yuan broke through to the Dao Fruit Realm, while Wu Yong arrived at Little Green Mountain and reunited with Zhu Yu as the chapter ended with the two brothers pledging mutual support.

• Zhu Yu dismissed Li Han and Li Yu, who then realized the Heavenly Principle Sect’s Human Hope was unusually dense as they left the mountain.
• Li Yu killed Li Han, framed the murder on the Wang Family, and accepted Zhu Yu’s emerald leaf and command to lead the Heavenly Principle Sect.
• Li Yu learned that Li Chen awaited them at Fengqi Pavilion and ordered the carriage to go there, intending to use the confrontation to establish his authority.
• Fang Yuan broke through to the Dao Fruit Realm and manifested the God Word [Concealment], while Zhu Yu told Zhong Li to prepare for his own breakthrough.
• Wu Yong arrived with Earth Ghost, Fire Protector, and Wind Protector; he reunited with Zhu Yu and explained how he had become the Luo Sect’s Manager in Qing Province.
• Wu Yong told Zhu Yu that the brothers needed to support each other to survive the perilous times.

Wu Yong complained about the burdens of managing the Luo Sect, while Zhu Yu assessed the Heavenly Principle Sect’s growth and asked him to become its deputy sect leader. Wu Yong discovered Zhu Yu’s high rank on the Heroes Ranking and showed him the golden Blood Qi True Essence Zhu Yu had previously given him.

• Wu Yong described the costs and hardships of managing the Luo Sect, and Zhu Yu considered why the Heavenly Principle Sect had grown so quickly.
• Earth Ghost, Fire Ghost, and Wind Ghost prepared a mountaintop gathering place, impressing Wu Yong with Zhu Yu’s command of them.
• The Three Ghosts reported that the People-Soothing Guard had cleared bandit strongholds and that Outworlder God Children were stirring up chaos among the foreign tribes.
• Earth Ghost told Zhu Yu that the caravan was trading across several regions and bringing rice and grain back to Yu Province.
• Zhu Yu asked Wu Yong to become deputy sect leader of the Heavenly Principle Sect and showed him the latest Heroes Ranking, where Zhu Yu stood tenth.
• Wu Yong recognized Zhu Yu’s name and revealed a streak of golden Blood Qi True Essence in his palm, startling Earth Ghost.

Earth Ghost recognized Wu Yong’s golden physique as a Martial Dao Golden Body, and Zhu Yu explained that opening all 360 apertures could condense one. After the meal, Zhu Yu outlined his plan to scatter the Heavenly Principle Sect across the provinces to grow its influence and gather Human Hope.

• Earth Ghost identified Wu Yong’s golden physique as a Martial Dao Golden Body and described its legendary traits.
• Wu Yong delighted in displaying the golden spot on his finger while Earth Ghost, Fire Ghost, Wind Ghost, and Zhong Li gathered to inspect it.
• Wu Yong revealed that Zhu Yu had given him the Golden Body, and Zhu Yu said that opening all 360 apertures could condense one.
• Zhu Yu cautioned Zhong Li that he had opened all the apertures only through a fortunate coincidence.
• Zhu Yu laid out his plan to break up the Heavenly Principle Sect and distribute its members throughout the provinces, while Wu Yong warned that powerful leaders might carve up the land.

Zhu Yu ordered the Three Ghosts to spread the Heavenly Principle Sect’s name among Qing Province’s common people by offering cornbread, while Wu Yong warned of powerful local interests. After agreeing to attend the Qiushui Zhang Clan ancestor’s Martial God lecture, Zhu Yu asked Wu Yong to explain Dao Fruit cultivation.

• Zhu Yu rejected Wu Yong’s concerns about betrayal and asked the Three Ghosts to seek Wu Yong’s advice on developing the sect across Qing Province.
• Zhu Yu explained that the Heavenly Principle Sect had gained its foothold by giving common people hope, then instructed the Three Ghosts to attract believers by handing out cornbread.
• Zhu Yu told Fire Ghost and Feng to spread the sect’s name without establishing bases or recruiting, while Earth Ghost stayed behind to manage the caravan and the sect’s logistics.
• Wu Yong warned that the Qiushui Zhang Clan’s Martial God ancestor could dominate Qing Province and said he would appear in half a month to discuss his breakthrough.
• Zhu Yu agreed to attend the Zhang Clan ancestor’s lecture and asked Wu Yong to explain cultivation in the Dao Fruit Realm.

Zhu Yu studied the Luo Sect’s Dao Fruit cultivation methods and began tempering his body while Zhong Li broke through to the Dao Fruit Realm. Half a month later, Zhu Yu and Wu Yong arrived in Zhang County, where they encountered Lady Shi confronting another carriage.

• Wu Yong gave Zhu Yu a booklet describing the Flesh Barrier and Internal Organ Barrier and explained that the Spirit Barrier required the Luo Sect’s Unborn Venerable Mother statue.
• Zhu Yu recognized similarities between the barriers and Golden Body cultivation, then began tempering his flesh and internal organs with Blood Qi True Essence.
• Zhong Li advanced to the Dao Fruit Realm, bringing the Heavenly Principle Sect’s total to six Dao Fruit Realm cultivators besides Zhu Yu and Wu Yong.
• Zhu Yu promised Wu Yong a blessed land after the Zhang Clan matter in Qiu Water was settled.
• Half a month later, Zhu Yu and Wu Yong reached Zhang County and saw Lady Shi demanding that another carriage surrender a thief.

Zhu Yu witnessed Wang Quan of the Martial Esteem Escort Agency confront Lady Shi, then entered Zhang City and arranged for his followers to investigate the area. As Zhu Yu began cultivating, he learned that True Person Yin Underworld had fallen.

• Lady Shi and Wang Quan prepared to fight until Zhang Yong intervened and asked them to give the Zhang Family face.
• Lady Shi withdrew her aura after a warning, and Wang Quan accompanied Zhang Yong toward Zhang City.
• Zhu Yu asked Wu Yong to investigate Wang Quan and instructed his followers to prioritize their safety as they traveled to their assigned prefectures and counties.
• The group arrived at a Luo Sect residence in Zhang City, where Wu Yong and the others left to make inquiries or explore.
• Zhu Yu began tempering his body and was shocked to learn that True Person Yin Underworld had fallen.

As the Yin-Underworld Spirit Ruins began collapsing and its spiritual energy faded, Zhu Yu hurriedly gathered his people, treasures, and Corpse Puppets to escape. He and Little Black left Yin-Underworld Grotto safely and encountered a familiar figure outside.

• Zhu Yu learned from Little Seven and messages from Xiang Sui and Bai Meng that the spiritual energy was declining and the Yin-Underworld Spirit Ruins was about to collapse.
• Zhu Yu ordered Zhu Yi and Zhu Er to pack supplies and Corpse Puppets, while Little Black stored the Starry Wood, Pure Bamboo, and Seven-Treasure Soul-Returning Ginseng.
• Zhu Yu prepared the Corpse Puppets and left with Xiao Qing, Little Black, Zhu Yi, Zhu Er, and their belongings.
• Zhu Yi returned a half-eaten Starry Wood Fruit to Zhu Yu, who rewarded Zhu Yi and Zhu Er by letting them share it.
• After the Yin-Underworld Grotto darkened and its exit blockade vanished, Zhu Yu rode Little Black out of the grotto and saw a familiar figure waiting nearby.

Zhu Yu rejected Bai Qi’s invitation to the Bai Clan and accepted Xiang Kui’s offer to visit the Xiang Family. Xiang Kui brought Zhu Yu and his group to the Xiang Family residence in Xiangyun Market, warning that the Yin-Underworld Spirit Ruins might still change.

• Bai Qi praised Zhu Yu’s creatures and invited him to visit the Bai Clan, promising guidance from its Corpse True Person ancestor.
• Xiang Kui interrupted Bai Qi and offered to take Zhu Yu to the Xiang Family, and Zhu Yu accepted.
• Xiang Kui warned Zhu Yu to be cautious about whom he trusted, then noticed Zhu Yu’s group and remarked on his talent.
• Xiang Kui led Zhu Yu’s group through Xiangyun Market to the Xiang Family’s ancestral grounds in the eastern district.
• Xiang Kui settled them in a quiet courtyard and told them to stay there because the Yin-Underworld Spirit Ruins might yet see changes.

After returning from the Canglan Spirit Ruins, Zhu Yu examined his recovered treasures and found that the Naga Horn carried powerful bloodline radiation and a lingering will. Xiao Qing seized the horn and used it to revive her heart, destroying her Mystic Armor as she transformed.

• Zhu Yu settled his goods and companions at the Xiang Family residence while waiting for the sect to explain what had happened in Yinming Mansion.
• Zhu Yu retrieved his ring, transferred his First-Order spirit items, and inspected the Spirit Ruins Origins and other treasures from the Canglan Spirit Ruins.
• Zhu Yu examined the Broken Horn, which invaded him with a strange will and caused three black scales to grow on his palm before the invasion was blocked.
• Xiao Qing recognized the Naga Horn as an inheritance artifact, took it from Zhu Yu, and thrust it into her chest.
• The Naga Horn revived Xiao Qing's heart and blood, the seals around two lights in her Divine Sea collapsed and fused, and Zhu Yu realized she had destroyed her Mystic Armor.
• A jade-colored mantis and Black Tiger arrived as black smoke poured from Xiao Qing and Black Tiger absorbed the Armor-Casting Spirit Qi.

Zhu Yu chose to spare Xiao Qing, built a new Dao Foundation, and waited for her transformation to finish. Xiang Kui asked Xiang Sui to negotiate for Zhu Yu’s Human Seed cultivation method, and Xiao Qing emerged transformed but still attached to Zhu Yu.

• Zhu Yu decided not to kill Xiao Qing, then had Black Tiger guard her and absorb the Armor-Casting Spirit Qi.
• Zhu Yu built the Graveyard Mound Dao Foundation and planned to obtain Dharma Seeds and refine Spirit Ruins Origin into artifacts.
• Xiang Kui told Xiang Sui that Zhu Yu had successfully cultivated Human Seeds and asked him to find out whether Zhu Yu would sell the method under a Blood Pact.
• Xiang Kui stopped Xiang Sui from visiting Zhu Yu until he finished changing his cultivation method.
• Three days later, Xiao Qing emerged from the sitting room with a purple horn, ate pastries, and went to cook with Zhu Yi.
• At dinner, Zhu Yu watched Xiao Qing eat and wondered whether she had two souls or two personalities.

Zhu Yu examined Xiao Qing’s transformation into a living Storm Thunder Naga with the Naga bloodline, then took her and Zhu Yi out to Xiangyun Market. Xiao Qing chose a dress at Luo Family Tailor Shop, where Zhu Yu considered turning his Soft Hedgehog Armor into a custom Dharma robe.

• Zhu Yu inspected Xiao Qing’s new status and concluded that her Naga bloodline had great potential, though it required more Spirit Ruins Origin to advance.
• Zhu Yu invited Xiao Qing on a stroll, brought Zhu Yi along, and left Little Black to watch over the household.
• Zhu Yi explained that she and her husband had become servants to raise the Spirit Stones needed for their gifted son to enter the Heavenly Dao Sect.
• At Xiangyun Market, Zhu Yi pointed out Xiangyun Spirit Bank, and Xiao Qing stopped at Luo Family Tailor Shop to ask for a displayed outfit.
• Luo Ling introduced herself as the shop manager and offered Zhu Yu a finished or custom Dharma robe, prompting him to consider refining his Soft Hedgehog Armor into one.

Zhu Yu visited the Luo Family Tailor Shop to examine its fine robes and ask whether Luo Ling’s father could refine an Origin Artifact. Luo Ling inspected Zhu Yu’s Soft Hedgehog Armor and proposed a defensive refinement based on its three strands of Spirit Ruins Origin.

• Zhu Yu asked Luo Ling whether her shop sold fine robes, and she showed him the Yellow Crane, Hundred Rivers, and Ghost Epiphyllum robes.
• Luo Ling described each robe’s materials and abilities, and Zhu Yu took particular interest in the Dead Abyss space within Ghost Epiphyllum.
• Zhu Yu asked whether Luo Ling’s father could refine Origin Artifacts, and she explained the process and its costs.
• Zhu Yu presented his Soft Hedgehog Armor, and Luo Ling identified its natural Dao Patterns and sacrificial Spirit Ruins origin.
• Luo Ling assessed the armor’s three strands of Spirit Ruins Origin and suggested refining it along a defensive body-cultivation path.

Zhu Yu arranged for Luo Ling’s shop to refine his Soft Hedgehog Armor under a contract, then bought Xiao Qing an outfit and sent Spirit Stones to Zhu Yi and Zhu Er. Outside Xiangyun Spirit Bank, he spotted a familiar face.

• Zhu Yu negotiated a fifty-thousand-Spirit-Stone refining fee with Luo Ling and insisted on a contract requiring compensation if the Origin Artifact was damaged.
• Xiao Qing acted jealous about the outfit, then celebrated after Zhu Yu agreed to buy it for her.
• Luo Ling confronted the indebted Master Luo, who agreed to refine the artifact after she reminded him he owed the shop thirty million Spirit Stones.
• Luo Ling returned with the contract, sold Xiao Qing an adjustable outfit, and saw Zhu Yu leave the shop with her.
• Zhu Yu gave Xiao Qing a Beast Bag containing two thousand Spirit Stones to reward Zhu Yi and Zhu Er, and Zhu Yi thanked them before entering Xiangyun Spirit Bank.
• Zhu Yu spotted a familiar face outside the spirit bank.

Zhu Yu bought the Ghost Epiphyllum robe to study its Dead Abyss restriction and considered combining it with the Myriad Beast Chart. After encountering Azure Tower Spirit Race members and a Qingping cultivator in Xiangyun Market, he grew suspicious that major changes were approaching and checked on the situation in Yi Spirit Ruins.

• Zhu Yu bought the Ghost Epiphyllum robe for 150,000 Spirit Stones and considered combining its Dead Abyss restriction with the Myriad Beast Chart to create a Myriad Soul Banner.
• Zhu Yu saw Xing Sidao meeting four powerful Azure Tower Spirit Race members, while Cang Li sent three of them to watch Yinming Mansion, Godfall Tower, and the other mansions for unusual activity.
• Zhu Yu found no spiritual items he wanted in Xiangyun Market and noticed a Qingping cultivator carrying a sword, prompting him to suspect that something was wrong.
• Zhu Yu linked his mind to his Split Spirit in Yi Spirit Ruins and learned that tensions at the Zhang Clan banquet had led to bloodshed and a Martial Arts Tournament.

At the Zhang Clan’s Martial Arts Tournament, Qian Feng killed Liu San’s opponent and then was killed by Fang Yuan, prompting Wang Quan to attack. Zhu Yu defeated Wang Quan but was knocked unconscious by Wang Quan’s hidden weapon, and Zhang Yong took the dying Wang Quan to the back mountain at the ancestor’s order.

• The Zhang Clan patriarch announced that the tournament’s first-place winner would receive one request from the Martial God ancestor.
• Liu San killed a sword-bearing youth with a surprise tiger roar and blade strike, then Qian Feng challenged him and gained the upper hand.
• Lady Shi ordered Dong Cheng'en to deal with Qian Feng, but Fang Yuan arrived and killed Qian Feng with a single blow.
• Wang Quan attacked Fang Yuan, but Zhu Yu struck Wang Quan’s weak point and drained his Martial God Body.
• Wang Quan launched a golden hidden weapon that broke Zhu Yu’s protective membrane and knocked him unconscious, so Wu Yong and the Three Ghosts carried Zhu Yu away.
• Zhang Yong took the badly injured Wang Quan to the back mountain after the Zhang Clan patriarch said the ancestor wished to see him.

A demonic-looking young man took a broken golden sword from Zhu Yu and used it to activate an array that linked the Great Moon to Yi Spirit Ruins. The moonlight caused nearly all humans and beasts to absorb fatal amounts of Human Hope, while a God Mountain began appearing beyond the moon.

• The young man appeared in the Luo Sect garrison, suppressed Zhong Li and Fang Yuan, and removed the broken golden sword from Zhu Yu’s brow before vanishing.
• Zhu Yu’s wound healed as a tremendous shockwave flattened Zhang City, leaving Wu Yong and the others to flee the ruins.
• The young man brought the sword to a bronze array and fed battered divine-soul fragments into its platform.
• The array sent beams of golden light into the Great Moon, which brightened until its moonlight overwhelmed the sun.
• Humans and beasts across Yi Spirit Ruins absorbed Human Hope, but most could not stop their God Words from absorbing it and exploded into bloody mist.
• The ruins became Dead Spirit Ruins, and a God Mountain with ancient towers appeared within the Great Moon.