Chapter Summaries

Yu Ci fled Miao Xiang through the Graveyard of Grudges, but beams of golden light disrupted her domain and revealed that the Five Sacred Peaks True Form Diagram was fighting her from within. As a Chariot God-Man arrived and helped restrain Miao Xiang, Yu Ci used the Immortal Binding Rope to pierce her wrists and bind her energy channels.

• Yu Ci attacked Miao Xiang with a Nine Luminaries Dragon Abyss Sword Talisman, recognized her Five Sacred Peaks True Form Diagram, and fled.
• Miao Xiang concealed her aura in incense fragrance and pursued Yu Ci, restricting him with her Void Stepping Domain and attacking with a ribbon.
• Golden beams pierced the Graveyard of Grudges, disrupting Miao Xiang's domain and empowering Yu Ci while setting Miao Xiang ablaze.
• The Five Sacred Peaks True Form Diagram separated from Miao Xiang and fought her, while its artifact spirit cried out for Yu Ci to save it.
• A Chariot God-Man Dharma Aspect rode through the forest, scattering Heavenly Demons and strengthening Yu Ci and the Five Sacred Peaks True Form Diagram.
• Yu Ci launched the Immortal Binding Rope, which pierced Miao Xiang's wrists and spread through her energy channels.

Yu Ci subdued Miao Xiang’s bronze alms bowl with the Jade Capital Three Lights Demon-Eradicating Spirit-Breaking Talisman, then learned that Miao Xiang and the Five Sacred Peaks Origin Spirit were bound to the bowl. He left the Shadow Ghost inside the Buddha Bone Furnace’s Heart Refining Dharma Fire and asked what shape it wanted to become.

• Miao Xiang’s meridians were sealed by the Immortal Binding Rope, and the Five Sacred Peaks True Form Diagram threw her into the forest.
• Xin Tianjun’s Chariot God-Man sealed the Yellow Springs Secret Mansion by blocking its earth-veins, while Yu Ci and the Five Sacred Peaks Origin Spirit concealed themselves.
• Yu Ci recognized that the bronze alms bowl was trying to manipulate his greed and struck it with the Jade Capital Three Lights Demon-Eradicating Spirit-Breaking Talisman.
• The Five Sacred Peaks Origin Spirit warned Yu Ci that Miao Xiang’s vitality was joined to the bowl, so harming one would harm the other.
• Yu Ci sent the Shadow Ghost’s demon skull into the Buddha Bone Furnace’s Heart Refining Dharma Fire and asked what shape it wanted to become.

Yu Ci remade Shadow Ghost’s demon skull with the Heart Refining Dharma Fire, restoring Shadow Ghost’s ability to gather origin qi. As Xiang remained unconscious and possessed by a weakened Formless Heavenly Demon, the Mystic Talisman Spirit Sealing Divine Ability Forbidden Zone began expanding, and Xin Yi’s group entered the forest.

• Yu Ci refined Shadow Ghost’s demon skull into vapor, and Shadow Ghost transformed into a shadow that could absorb heaven and earth origin qi.
• Shadow Ghost told Yu Ci that a weak Formless Heavenly Demon had assimilated with Xiang’s mind and spirit, leaving her in danger.
• The Five Peaks Origin Spirit warned Yu Ci that the Mystic Talisman Spirit Sealing Divine Ability Forbidden Zone was expanding after the Five Peaks True Form Diagram’s suppression weakened.
• Yu Ci saw golden-lit figures descend from the Yellow Springs Secret Mansion, and Shadow Ghost identified their leader as Xin Yi.

Yu Ci and the Five Peaks Origin Spirit tried to evade a Startled Insects Talisman that exposed the Formless Heavenly Demon’s taint, while Miao Xiang awakened and silently sought his help. The chapter left Yu Ci and Miao Xiang connected through the True Return Purple Smoke Warm Jade, with her asking him to save her and give her the jade.

• Yu Ci learned that the Five Peaks Origin Spirit knew nothing about the forbidden zone’s treasure and had sought help because it feared being tainted by the Formless Heavenly Demon.
• A Startled Insects Talisman exposed heavenly demons nearby, so the Five Peaks Origin Spirit carried Yu Ci, Miao Xiang, and the shadow ghost deep underground.
• Miao Xiang awakened, and Yu Ci kept her restrained when the talisman’s radiance caused her pain and suggested her demonic taint remained dangerous.
• Miao Xiang signaled for Yu Ci to come closer and tried to communicate by moving her lips.
• As Yu Ci leaned in, Miao Xiang’s fragrance clouded his mind, and their contact with the True Return Purple Smoke Warm Jade enabled them to communicate through their thoughts.
• Miao Xiang asked Yu Ci for the jade and begged him to save her, while he stared at her face as purple qi spread across it.

Yu Ci helped Miao Xiang escape the heavenly demons by sacrificing the Returning True Purple Smoke Warm Jade, which let her reshape her dharma body and forge an incense yin body. After learning that Female Immortal Zhao Yang and powerful figures tied to the Yellow Springs Secret Mansion were involved, Yu Ci urged Miao Xiang to stay for a day, and she agreed.

• The Returning True Purple Smoke Warm Jade dissolved as Miao Xiang absorbed its purple qi, while Yu Ci withdrew the Immortal Binding Rope and the Five Peaks Origin Spirit carried them to safety.
• Miao Xiang thanked Yu Ci and explained that the jade had healed her injuries and helped her forge a heavenly human body, though the bronze bowl binding her remained attached.
• Yu Ci connected Miao Xiang’s flying deva form and Ling Xi Wanderer’s bee demon transformation to the Great Black Heavenly Buddha Mother Bodhisattva and the paths of the Six Heavens.
• Miao Xiang identified Female Immortal Zhao Yang as the one who had used her as bait to ensnare the Five Peaks Origin Spirit, and revealed Zhao Yang’s ties to Lu Chen, Madame Yellow Springs, and the Yellow Springs Secret Mansion.
• Miao Xiang said she planned to leave south to seek help with the bronze bowl, but Yu Ci asked her to stay for a day, and she agreed.

Zhai Que'er’s party entered a treasure hall in the Yellow Springs Secret Mansion, where a trap involving a heavenly demon nearly killed her and unleashed demons throughout the forbidden zone. As Elder Long fought to contain the fiends, Xin Tianjun arrived beneath a sky filled with talismanic light.

• Zhai Que'er’s party reached a palace on a mountain peak and entered after carefully passing its restrictions.
• Elder Long identified the corpse of Wu Gui Yu Ke, and the figure shriveled as a heavenly demon emerged from it.
• Gao Ji used the Heavenly Escape Mirror to reveal the demon and hidden treasures, while Zhai Que'er captured the weakened fiend.
• The hidden demon shattered Zhai Que'er’s Hidden Demon Pool, freeing her captive and turning her demon seeds against her; Elder Long raised Heaven Has No Sun to suppress the demons.
• A woman on another peak revealed that she had planted the trap and possessed Wu Gui Yu Ke’s demon spirit, then disappeared into the darkness.
• Xin Tianjun descended toward the demon-filled mansion, and his talismanic light joined Elder Long’s purple sun to illuminate the surrounding peaks and halls.

Miaoxiang and Yu Ci were discussing their plans when Lu Suhua used the bronze bowl to locate them and appeared nearby. Yu Ci realized she had arrived only as a thousand-mile projection, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Miaoxiang assessed Lu Dun’s background and resolved to build a closer relationship with him.
• Yu Ci considered why he had let Miaoxiang stay and worried about Lu Qing’s sudden departure.
• Lu Suhua’s Soul-Searching Great Technique activated through Miaoxiang’s bronze bowl, revealing their location.
• Miaoxiang and the Five Peaks Origin Spirit prepared to flee south toward the Great Thunder Marsh and Six Barbarian Mountains.
• Lu Suhua appeared beneath the trees, and Yu Ci recognized her form as a thousand-mile projection.

Lu Suhua inspected Miaoxiang’s condition and recognized Yu Ci from the Red Fang Workshop, discovering that Miaoxiang had used his spiritual momentum to conceal herself. Yu Ci struck Lu Suhua’s projection, and Miaoxiang spirited everyone away before Lu Suhua arrived in person and burned the clearing to ash.

• Lu Suhua’s projection confronted Miaoxiang, identified her all-Yin cultivation and bronze alms bowl, and vowed to speak with her upon returning.
• Lu Suhua recognized Yu Ci from the Red Fang Workshop and realized Miaoxiang had borrowed his divine intent and vital Qi to hide her spiritual momentum.
• Yu Ci struck Lu Suhua’s projection with his elbow, destroying it and realizing he had made an enemy of her.
• Miaoxiang used the Nine Heavens Yuan Magnetism Divine Light to spirit everyone southwest out of the clearing.
• Lu Suhua arrived at the empty clearing and burned a ten-li radius to white ash before disappearing.

Yu Ci used a Yujing Three Lights Origin-Breaking Demon-Dispelling Talisman to suppress Miaoxiang’s Formless Heavenly Demon, while Lu Suhua pursued them and found the bronze alms bowl abandoned. In Fengdu City, Zhang Yan and Dan Chu shifted their investigation of the fish-dragon auction to the black market, and Zhang Yan followed the expelled auction participants in disguise.

• Miaoxiang proposed traveling south with Yu Ci to seek help removing the Formless Heavenly Demon.
• The demon interfered with Miaoxiang and destabilized the Five Sacred Peaks True Form Diagram, so Yu Ci used a talisman to suppress it.
• Lu Suhua followed the group’s trail, discovered the bronze alms bowl on a Fire Rock Lizard, and realized the bowl had been removed without a demonic backlash.
• Dan Chu told Zhang Yan that Suixin Pavilion’s strict regulations prevented them from investigating the fish-dragon auction through official channels.
• Zhang Yan disguised himself as a Ghost Prison Powder addict and followed the cultivators expelled from the auction house.

A dark-skinned customer bought several spices from Shopkeeper Su and received an invitation to a spice auction, while Ji Yuan and Zi Qu arrived too late to get one. After Zi Qu left, Ji Yuan ordered his attendant to investigate the customer, who had just reserved a cave dwelling.

• The dark-skinned customer bought several spices from Shopkeeper Su, who gave him an invitation to Booth Seventy-Nine’s auction.
• Ji Yuan and Zi Qu arrived at the shop and asked for an invitation, but Shopkeeper Su said the last one had gone to the customer who just left.
• Zi Qu dismissed the auction and walked away, and Ji Yuan failed to persuade her to stay.
• Ji Yuan recognized the customer outside, restrained his anger, and sent an attendant to investigate him.
• The attendant reported that the customer had met a deacon from the True Cultivator Circle and had reserved a cave dwelling the previous day.

Ji Yuan watched the charcoal-faced cultivator establish his manor in Fengdu City's True Cultivator Circle, then rushed to pay respects when Zi Qu moved into the prestigious Yuangguang Pavilion. The charcoal-faced cultivator's stone tablet revealed his name as Jiu Yan.

• Ji Yuan learned that Zi Qu had moved into Yuangguang Pavilion and suspected she was stronger and more influential than he was.
• Ji Yuan watched the charcoal-faced cultivator enter his residence to establish his manor and wondered whether he had passed the assessment.
• When Yuangguang Pavilion began establishing its manor, Ji Yuan hurried there with a gift, but Zi Qu kept visitors outside and only let him leave his name and gift.
• After returning home, Ji Yuan learned that the charcoal-faced cultivator had quietly established his manor and erected a registration tablet.
• An attendant told Ji Yuan that the tablet bore the name Jiu Yan.

Zhang Yan failed to buy the fish-dragon after a Three Families Market buyer drove up the price, then learned that the Yellow Springs Secret Mansion had been exposed and hurried off with Dan Chu to seek treasure. At Yuangguang Pavilion, Zi Qu found Uncle-Master Zhan missing and a black cat inside the cave residence.

• Zhang Yan tried to buy the fish-dragon from Blind Han, but a newcomer paid two thousand Ruyi Money for a Twin-tailed Raccoon Cat and forced Zhang Yan to withdraw.
• Zhang Yan recognized the buyer's carriage insignia as belonging to Three Families Market, and Dan Chu linked the market's interest in spirit cats to news concerning Ruizhu Palace.
• Dan Chu told Zhang Yan that the Five Sacred Peaks True Form Diagram had vanished from the Yellow Springs Secret Mansion, leaving its forbidden zone unstable and its treasures exposed.
• Dan Chu took Zhang Yan to join Senior Brother Yang Yin and the others at the Yellow Springs Secret Mansion.
• Zi Qu entered Yuangguang Pavilion to pay her respects to Uncle-Master Zhan, but found a black cat and scattered clothes instead of its master.

Zhan Shuicheng, in the form of a black cat, explored the True Cultivator Circle and stumbled into Jiu Yan’s spice-filled cave mansion before returning to Yuangguang Pavilion. Back in human form, she dismissed Zi Qu’s report and decided to ignore Great Brahma’s efforts to press Ruizhu Palace into an alliance, then went to sleep.

• The black cat entered Jiu Yan’s cave mansion, sneezed at the intense spice fumes, and fled without meeting the host properly.
• Tang and Gu left the mansion, speculating that the intelligent cat might belong to someone watching Jiu Yan.
• The black cat returned to Yuangguang Pavilion and told Zi Qu to prepare warm water for a bath.
• The cat transformed into Zhan Shuicheng, who ordered Zi Qu to buy spices that could remove the lingering odors.
• Zhan Shuicheng told Zi Qu not to bother her with visitors and joked that she would let Senior Sister blame her for Ruizhu Palace’s lack of progress with Great Brahma before taking a nap.

At the incense auction, Ji Yuan and Zi Qu watched Jiu Yan bid unsuccessfully before Li Shan lured him to a private seller, where he bought several incenses at a fair price. After Jiu Yan left, Zhao Zhu beat Li Shan for bringing back what he considered the wrong kind of customer.

• Ji Yuan and Zi Qu entered the final lots of the special incense auction, and Ji Yuan explained the bidding and discussed Zhan Shuicheng with Zi Qu.
• Ji Yuan judged Jiu Yan to be an ordinary cultivator with limited means as Jiu Yan failed to win bids on Sea Rain Incense.
• Li Shan approached Jiu Yan and persuaded him to buy incense through a private channel instead of the auction.
• Li Shan brought Jiu Yan to Zhao Zhu, who sold him Sea Rain Incense and several other types at a fair price.
• After Jiu Yan left, Zhao Zhu kicked Li Shan and scolded him for bringing back the wrong customer.

Li Shan was forced to serve as bait in Zhao Zhu’s scheme to investigate Jiu Yan and the missing Sea Rain Incense. As Jiu Yan confronted the suspected buyer, Chou Wu and his companions watched from a distance, still pursuing their suspicions about the Ling Xi Wanderer.

• Chou Wu rebuked Zhao Zhu for failing to make enough trades and ordered him to proceed with their operation, while Zhao Zhu assigned Li Shan another dangerous task.
• Li Shan recalled leaving the shattered Twin Immortals Sect, becoming addicted to Ghost Prison Powder, and surviving as a sand bandit’s bait fish.
• Li Shan lured his target into attacking him, and the man beat him down and demanded to know where the Sea Rain Incense was.
• After learning the incense’s whereabouts, the attacker carried Li Shan to Zhao Zhu’s abandoned courtyard and then to Jiu Yan’s cave mansion.
• The attacker accused Jiu Yan of buying stolen goods and demanded the Sea Rain Incense, while Chou Wu’s group watched and discussed whether Jiu Yan was the Ling Xi Wanderer.

Jiu Yan faced a burly swordsman whose deep-sea sword pressure threatened to overwhelm him, then countered with three powerful manifestations of Baleful Intent. Chou Wu realized Jiu Yan was not the Ling Xi Wanderer, while Tang He decided the Great Vertebra Hall wanted to recruit him.

• Zi Qu watched the commotion near Jiu Yan's cave dwelling with two black cats from the Yuangguang Pavilion.
• Chou Wu and the allied factions discussed their plans and grew suspicious of Jiu Yan's apparent sword inheritance.
• Jiu Yan and the burly swordsman failed to reach an agreement and began fighting.
• The burly swordsman formed a deep-sea sword pressure that pressed in on Jiu Yan from every direction.
• Jiu Yan manifested a giant eagle, a giant python, and a giant tiger, disrupting the swordsman's pressure.
• Chou Wu concluded that Jiu Yan was not the Ling Xi Wanderer, and Tang He said the Great Vertebra Hall wanted him.

Jiu Yan’s clash with a burly swordsman over Sea Rain Incense escalated as Jiu Yan manifested three powerful Baleful Intents, drawing the attention of Chou Wu, Tang He, Zi Qu, and Zhan Shuicheng. The two fighters eventually stood down and entered Jiu Yan’s cave abode with Gu Zhi, while Li Shan remained near death on the battlefield.

• Tang He and Chou Wu decided Jiu Yan might be an unaffiliated cultivator worth recruiting to the Heaven Seizing Sect.
• Jiu Yan’s tiger, eagle, and python Baleful Intents pressed the burly swordsman into a defensive position, and Zhan Shuicheng praised the tiger’s form and spirit.
• Jiu Yan stopped preparing another manifestation, and the burly swordsman eased his attack after Jiu Yan offered him the remaining Sea Rain Incense.
• Gu Zhi stepped in to smooth over the dispute and offered to pay for the incense, but Jiu Yan said he had already used half of it.
• Jiu Yan, the burly swordsman, and Gu Zhi entered Jiu Yan’s cave abode, while Chou Wu noticed that Li Shan was barely clinging to life.

Jiu Yan returned Guan Zheng’s Sea Rain Incense after refining it into a more valuable form, settling their dispute and earning Gu Zhi’s respect. After Gu Zhi left, Jiu Yan resumed his cultivation as Yu Ci and tested a new way to combine two techniques.

• Gu Zhi talked Guan Zheng down and accompanied him to Jiu Yan’s spice chamber to settle their grievance.
• Jiu Yan returned the remaining half of Guan Zheng’s Sea Rain Incense, which he had refined to an exceptionally high grade.
• Guan Zheng realized the incense was more valuable than before, accepted it, and hurried away after Gu Zhi urged him to pursue the thieves responsible for the loss.
• Gu Zhi praised Jiu Yan’s spice-refining skill, offered help through his family’s spice businesses, and then took his leave.
• Jiu Yan secured the immortal cave, returned to his quiet chamber, and cultivated as Yu Ci, combining the methods of the Ten Manifestations of Fiendish Energy Technique and the Four Spirits Dharma Aspect.

Yu Ci struggled to make Cold Fragrance Clear Dew to protect Lu Qing while waiting for news of his whereabouts. Elsewhere, Chou Wu redirected his attention to the Yellow Springs Secret Mansion, and the supposedly dead Li Shan was dragged away.

• Yu Ci failed repeatedly to blend Cold Fragrance Clear Dew, which he hoped to use to alter Lu Qing's aura and shield him from Lu Suhua.
• Yu Ci reflected that Miaoxiang was investigating Lu Qing's whereabouts through her connections while waiting for the right price to act.
• Chou Wu learned that Li Shan's corpse was missing, accepted that Zhao Zhu might have killed him, and ordered his subordinate to find Jiu Yan.
• Chou Wu gave up on recruiting Jiu Yan and shifted his attention to the Yellow Springs Secret Mansion after the plan involving Ling Xi Wanderer faltered.
• Li Shan survived Zhao Zhu's attack, crawled away using his cultivation method and a healing pill, and felt someone dragging him.

Li Shan woke in Kou Chu’s carriage after being rescued from Fengdu City, while Zhao Ziyue sought Zhan Shuicheng’s help with the Yellow Springs Secret Mansion and was rebuffed. An unknown speaker then offered Zhan Shuicheng new terms: display the Profound Arts and protect Zhao Ziyue and his companion’s divine souls.

• Li Shan woke in Kou Chu’s carriage and learned that Kou Chu had carried him out of Fengdu City.
• Li Shan realized the Heaven Seizing Sect would likely consider him dead and rejoiced at his chance to escape its notice.
• Zhao Ziyue tried to meet Zhan Shuicheng, but Zi Qu said she was asleep, so he sent Manoo into the inner chambers.
• Nine Lives struck Manoo down, and Zhao Ziyue tried to enlist Zhan Shuicheng’s help against Xin Tianjun.
• Zhan Shuicheng knocked Zhao Ziyue out of the hall after he brought up her lost talisman battle with Xin Tianjun.
• An unknown speaker offered to change the conditions, asking Zhan Shuicheng to display the Profound Arts and protect Zhao Ziyue and Manoo’s divine souls.