Recaps

Jiang Ning obtained Profound Yin Jade Marrow and Netherdark Mysterious Grass from Ying Xue in Crimson Radiance Grotto-Heaven, then refined their energy in his main body to temporarily restore balance to his Primordial Spirit and gain source points. He realized Lunar Yin Stones might address the imbalance at its root and brought out his wine flask of Emperor's Flowing Essence.

• Ying Xue led Jiang Ning to Cold Moon Pool and gave him a drop of Profound Yin Jade Marrow, then offered three stalks of Netherdark Mysterious Grass and their fruits.
• Jiang Ning discovered that physical objects could not travel with his Primordial Spirit between worlds, so he refined the herbs and jade marrow into pure energy and carried it back within his Primordial Spirit.
• Jiang Ning refined the energy in his main body, easing his yin-yang imbalance and raising his source points to 158.7, though he recognized the relief would only be temporary.
• Jiang Ning remembered the Lunar Yin Stone fragments he had gathered from the Luo River and suspected their supreme yin origins could help resolve his imbalance.
• Jiang Ning opened the wine flask containing Emperor's Flowing Essence, drawing Linglong and the lake carp toward him with its fragrance.

Jiang Ning used lunar yin stone to restore balance in his Primordial Spirit, but realized his Solar Scripture would eventually cause another imbalance unless he found a way to strengthen his Lunar Yin foundation at its source. He visited the Water-Moon Sword Palace and asked the mysterious woman of the Moon Palace for help.

• Jiang Ning shared his lunar-yin wine with Linglong and Old Softshell, then reassured Old Softshell that he could grow stronger with time.
• Jiang Ning consumed a fragment of lunar yin stone, restoring the balance between yin and yang in his Primordial Spirit and gaining 1.7 Source Points.
• Jiang Ning realized the Solar Scripture would keep strengthening his yang energy, so he stored the remaining lunar yin stone and set out for the Water-Moon Sword Palace.
• Jiang Ning entered the divine maiden's statue and met the woman of the Moon Palace again.
• The woman recognized that Jiang Ning's external lunar-yin resources only offered a temporary fix, and Jiang Ning asked her how to resolve the imbalance at its root.

Jiang Ning sought the Moon Palace woman’s help with the Yin-Yang imbalance caused by the Solar Scripture, and she offered the Lunar Scripture in exchange for helping create a descendant with Lin Qingyi. Lin Qingyi conceived a developing seed of life, and Jiang Ning promised to take responsibility and protect her and their child.

• The Moon Palace woman explained that the Solar Scripture would worsen Jiang Ning’s Yin-Yang imbalance, while the Lunar Scripture could provide a permanent balance once both cultivation arts reached perfection.
• She said she would pass the Lunar Scripture to Jiang Ning if he and Lin Qingyi produced a perfect bloodline descendant before he reached the Human Immortal Realm.
• The Moon Palace woman brought Lin Qingyi to Moon Lake and used her powers to make Jiang Ning and Lin Qingyi unite, despite Jiang Ning’s protests.
• The Moon Palace woman confirmed that a seed of life had formed and told Jiang Ning and Lin Qingyi they would need to unite more times for it to become perfect.
• Jiang Ning promised to take responsibility for Lin Qingyi and protect her and their child, and Lin Qingyi accepted what had happened.

Jiang Ning returned to the Royal Capital with Lin Qingyi after visiting the Water-Moon Sword Palace, while Ji Minghao and Shen Xiao discussed Jiang Ning’s power and his influence over the throne. The chapter ended with Jiang Ning arriving home to a warm welcome and looking forward to a meal with braised dragon meat.

• Jiang Ning left the Water-Moon Sword Palace with Lin Qingyi and flew back to the Royal Capital.
• Ji Minghao and Shen Xiao discussed Jiang Ning’s strength, his rewards, and the political influence he could wield.
• Ji Minghao’s mother joined him in the imperial garden, prompting Shen Xiao to leave after recognizing her mysterious nature.
• Jiang Ning returned to Marquis Dongling’s Residence, where Lü Yi and Liu Wanwan welcomed him and Lin Qingyi.
• Jiang Ning took a basket of meat buns and asked Liu Wanwan to serve fried eggs and braised dragon meat.

Jiang Ning entered seclusion at Lishui Palace to strengthen himself before looming threats and chose to cultivate the Spiritual Altar Illumination of the True Self Method. The chapter ended as his consciousness entered his Spirit Platform and he prepared to fuse his mind with his Primordial Spirit.

• Jiang Ning healed Little Doubao after she fell, then told Jiang Li he would cultivate in seclusion at Lishui Palace while Jiang Li arranged to exchange gold for cultivation resources.
• Jiang Ning refused Lü Yi and Lin Qingyi’s offers to accompany him, promising to return to the marquis’s residence morning and evening before departing for Lishui Palace.
• At Lishui Palace, Jiang Ning assessed threats including Ji Xuan, Xia Xuanyan, and the Yellow Heaven Cult, and considered how to increase his strength quickly.
• Jiang Ning inspected the Immortal Tree’s new golden leaf and concluded that cultivating the Great Sun Scripture would take too long and worsen his yin-yang imbalance.
• Jiang Ning severed the connections between his three flowers, causing his mental strength to grow while his divine power stopped increasing.
• Jiang Ning chose the Spiritual Altar Illumination of the True Self Method, entered his Spirit Platform, and prepared to merge his mind with his Primordial Spirit.

Jiang Ning merged with his Primordial Spirit and rapidly cultivated the Spiritual Altar Illumination of the True Self Method, completing its fourth limit break. He spent Source Points on a fifth limit break, gained the First Perception trait, and resumed cultivating to strengthen himself further.

• Jiang Ning merged his consciousness with his Primordial Spirit and drew countless True Spirit fragments from the River of Time, completing the method's progress in half a day.
• Jiang Ning spent twenty Source Points to break through the method's fifth limit and gained the First Perception trait, which let him sense dangers and hostile intent before they fully emerged.
• Jiang Ning examined his improved mental power and concluded that he had enough Source Points and cultivation efficiency to continue breaking through.
• Jiang Ning merged with his Primordial Spirit again, entered the River of Time, and drew more True Spirit fragments toward himself.

Jiang Ning broke through the Spiritual Altar Illumination of the True Self Method and began refining the treasures sent by his eldest brother to increase his Source Points and strengthen himself. After consuming three treasures, he had 162.5 Source Points and two treasures left to refine.

• Jiang Ning returned from Lishui Palace to Marquis Dongling's Residence and spent fifty Source Points to break through his method, gaining the Spiritual Wisdom trait.
• Jiang Ning called Lingling to bring the treasures his eldest brother had sent, and she delivered five frostmoon spirit fruits along with four other treasures.
• Jiang Ning ate the frostmoon spirit fruits and gained 18.7 Source Points.
• Jiang Ning consumed the Evergreen Vine of Ten Thousand Ages and gained 36.8 Source Points in total from it.
• Jiang Ning drank the thunderclap jade liquid, endured its lightning tempering, and gained 16.8 Source Points, bringing his total to 162.5.

Jiang Ning consumed the remaining treasures at Lishui Palace, raising his Source Points to 199.2 before cultivating until he broke through the Spiritual Altar Illumination of the True Self Method’s limit for the seventh time. The breakthrough let him enter the real River of Time, and he emerged exhausted but certain that the experience had truly happened.

• Jiang Ning consumed the scarlet lingzhi and gained 20.2 Source Points.
• Jiang Ning refined the beast’s blood essence, suppressed the tiger’s remnant will, strengthened his body, and raised his Source Points to 199.2.
• Jiang Ning resumed cultivating the Spiritual Altar Illumination of the True Self Method and returned home for dinner that night.
• Jiang Ning filled the method’s experience progress and spent Source Points to break its limit for the seventh time, causing his silver flower to bloom with nine petals.
• Jiang Ning’s consciousness entered the River of Time, where he witnessed its countless golden grains and fleeting images without daring to move.
• Jiang Ning returned to the waterside pavilion, sensed his mental power reach across the Royal Capital and beyond, and concluded that his visit to the River of Time had been real.

After breaking through the Spiritual Altar Illumination of the True Self Method, Jiang Ning slept and recovered from his mental exhaustion. In a hidden Grotto-Heaven, two Daoists plotted to use Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers to attack him and draw out the weakening Martial Saint; Jiang Ning woke refreshed in the Royal Capital, unaware of their plan.

• Jiang Ning reflected on his breakthrough, noted that he still lacked the unfettered mind, and went to sleep in Marquis Dongling's Residence.
• Two Daoists discussed the Martial Saint's declining condition and decided to investigate his body before he died.
• The blue-green-robed Daoist proposed targeting Jiang Ning with two Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers to force the Martial Saint to intervene.
• The Daoists chose Duan Tianya to carry the heavenly soldiers to the Royal Capital and activate them against Jiang Ning.
• Jiang Ning woke refreshed after a night's rest and went out into the courtyard.

Jiang Ning visited the Martial Saint and learned that the path of limitless body and unrestrained spirit depended on a hidden bodily treasure that could not be explained in words. He left determined to find it through continued breakthroughs, while a gray-clad man waited outside Lishui Palace with two Silver-Armored Talisman Tokens, preparing to kill the Luo River King.

• Jiang Ning told Jiang Li that the heavenly treasures had strengthened him, then learned that the emperor wanted to speak with him and said he would visit the palace after seeing the Martial Saint.
• A gray-clad middle-aged man entered the Royal Capital by shattering the gate guards’ halberds with a snort, and a Heavenly Surveillance Bureau officer identified him as a powerful second-grade grandmaster.
• Jiang Ning asked the Martial Saint how to pursue the body without limits and the spirit without restraints, and the old man explained that a hidden treasure within the body could not be described without risking that Jiang Ning would never find it.
• The Martial Saint warned that his time was short and said he would take further action before his death, while Jiang Ning departed the Grotto-Heaven resolved to pursue the path through his body and spirit.
• The gray-clad man watched Lishui Palace and waited for the Luo River King to return, relying on two Silver-Armored Talisman Tokens and their Heavenly Net Formation.

Jiang Ning returned to Lishui Palace, where Duan Tianya ambushed him with two powerful talisman tokens. Jiang Ning killed Duan Tianya and disrupted his teleportation, but the tokens unleashed two Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers, whose first attack he met with his fists.

• Jiang Ning returned to Lishui Palace and told Chen An he would attend the next court assembly.
• Duan Tianya spotted Jiang Ning and stormed into the palace to attack him.
• Duan Tianya activated two talisman tokens, but Jiang Ning tore through the spatial technique and killed him.
• The tokens transformed into two Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers, which attacked Jiang Ning with their halberds.
• Jiang Ning powered up his defenses and struck both halberds with his fists.

Jiang Ning fought two Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers above Lishui Palace, enduring their overwhelming attacks as his body healed and grew tougher. He realized the assault was meant to test the Martial Saint, and, seeing people endangered by the destruction, decided he could no longer keep fighting there.

• Jiang Ning clashed head-on with the two Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers, while the shock waves devastated Lishui Palace and forced its residents to flee.
• Jiang Ning welcomed the punishing battle, using repeated injuries and rapid healing to temper his body as observers across the Royal Capital watched.
• Ji Minghao identified the attackers as Heavenly Court war puppets and believed they were trying to provoke the Martial Saint into intervening.
• Jiang Ning sensed the Martial Saint nearby and realized the attack was testing the elder's condition; in an immortal sanctuary, two Daoists concluded the Martial Saint was nearing death and discussed eliminating Jiang Ning afterward.
• Jiang Ning noticed the soldiers' strength beginning to decline, but their combined attack drove him into the island and further wrecked the palace.
• Jiang Ning saw that the battle had killed people and damaged much of the palace, so he decided to stop fighting there as the soldiers charged again.

Jiang Ning fled Lishui Palace to protect civilians, but the Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers pursued him with the Heavenly Net Formation while their master’s distant gaze continued to watch. As his Dragon-Tiger Golden Core ran dry and his strength faded, Jiang Ning used forbidden arts and found that Heart Tribulation Fire, replenished by his flesh authority, raised his power beyond its former peak.

• Jiang Ning escaped the Royal Capital at full speed, but the Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers pursued him using the Heavenly Net Formation to bind and pull him back.
• Jiang Ning used Dragon-Tiger Confluence to meet the soldiers’ halberds and crashed into a mountainside, where his wounds began healing through his flesh authority.
• Jiang Ning sensed that the soldiers’ master still watched him, so he chose not to reveal more of his abilities and charged back into battle.
• Jiang Ning fought both soldiers at close range, but his Dragon-Tiger Golden Core was exhausted and his declining strength left him increasingly vulnerable.
• Jiang Ning used the Blood-Burning Forbidden Art, then ignited Heart Tribulation Fire, whose cost his flesh authority replenished as his power rose beyond its previous peak.

Jiang Ning used Heart Tribulation Fire to outlast and defeat the two Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers, while the Daoists watching from the Summit of the Mountain chose not to recall them for fear of provoking the Martial Saint. After the unseen observer withdrew, Jiang Ning landed exhausted and inspected one of the silent Heavenly Soldiers.

• Jiang Ning fought back against the two Heavenly Soldiers as their power waned, seizing a halberd and using Heart Tribulation Fire to gain the advantage.
• At the Summit of the Mountain, the gray-robed Daoist and azure-robed Daoist discussed the Heavenly Soldiers' dwindling energy and refused to recall them, fearing the Martial Saint would trace them to their Grotto-Heaven.
• Jiang Ning battered the Heavenly Soldiers until one ran out of energy and collapsed, then hurled his halberd into the other and silenced it as well.
• The gaze watching Jiang Ning withdrew, and he let the crimson flames fade before landing, drained of strength.
• Jiang Ning entered a deep pit and examined the motionless Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldier, finding its energy exhausted.

After defeating two Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers, Jiang Ning examined their exhausted Immortal Essence Stones and realized their divine iron might yield Source Points. He proved he could break off and refine a piece, then turned his attention to the two soldiers’ remains as a potential source of great power.

• Jiang Ning inspected the two defeated Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers and concluded that their Immortal Essence Stones had run out of energy.
• Jiang Ning considered the danger posed by the watchers and dormant Grotto-Heaven immortals, then decided he needed more Source Points to strengthen himself.
• Jiang Ning recovered enough to combine Dragon-Tiger Confluence with Heart Tribulation Fire and broke a small piece off one soldier’s armor with its silver halberd.
• Jiang Ning swallowed the armor fragment but could not refine it with qi and blood or the Whale Swallowing trait alone.
• Jiang Ning used Sun-Yang True Fire to melt and refine the fragment, gaining 0.3 Source Points and slightly strengthening his bones.
• Jiang Ning estimated that refining both soldiers could earn him over a thousand Source Points, though he recognized the process would take considerable time and effort.

Jiang Ning spent the night refining the Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers’ remains to strengthen himself and advance the Black Dragon Swallowing Whale Technique. By dawn, he had opened one soldier’s chest and uncovered an intact Immortal Essence Stone with residual energy inside.

• Jiang Ning refined silver armor fragments for source points, then cultivated the Black Dragon Swallowing Whale Technique and found that the armor’s energy greatly improved his training efficiency.
• After reaching the next breakthrough, Jiang Ning advanced the technique to six limit breaks and gained the Light Gold Dragon Sinew trait, increasing his strength and explosive power.
• Jiang Ning found that his improved strength let him cut larger armor fragments and refine them more efficiently, so he continued working through the Heavenly Soldier wreckages through the night.
• At daybreak, Jiang Ning shattered one Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldier’s breastplate and exposed an intact, faintly glowing Immortal Essence Stone containing residual energy.

Jiang Ning refined the Immortal Essence Stones and silver armor from the Heavenly Soldier wrecks, raising the Black Dragon Swallowing Whale Technique to its seventh limit break and strengthening his body. He left himself confident that he could approach immortal-level combat strength as he continued refining the wrecks to improve his power and efficiency.

• Jiang Ning swallowed the depleted Immortal Essence Stone from a Heavenly Soldier and refined its remaining energy, gaining experience and 5.3 Source Points.
• Jiang Ning broke open the other Heavenly Soldier's armor, refined its Immortal Essence Stone, and swallowed silver armor fragments until he had 100.3 Source Points and completed the technique's sixth limit break.
• Jiang Ning spent 100 Source Points to advance the Black Dragon Swallowing Whale Technique to its seventh limit break, strengthening his body and upgrading the Dragon Body trait.
• Jiang Ning assessed that his strength had increased by roughly fifty percent and that his full power might reach the level of an immortal.
• Jiang Ning cut up and refined more silver armor fragments, found that his strengthened body improved refining efficiency, and continued working toward upgrading the Whale Swallowing trait.

Jiang Ning refined the Silver-Armored Heavenly Soldiers’ remains and silver halberds, raising his Whale Swallowing trait and advancing the Black Dragon Swallowing Whale Technique to its eighth limit break. After swallowing and refining one Heavenly Soldier’s remaining wreckage and weapon, he turned to test whether he could cleave the other wreckage in two with one strike.

• Jiang Ning spent source points to upgrade Whale Swallowing to Light Gold and found that it refined silver armor fragments about five times faster.
• He refined the armor through the night, gaining source points and experience until the Black Dragon Swallowing Whale Technique reached its seventh limit break cap.
• Jiang Ning spent two hundred source points to break through to the eighth limit break and gained the Deep Gold Whale Swallowing trait.
• He discovered that the upgraded trait let him shrink and swallow the first Heavenly Soldier’s remaining wreckage and a silver halberd whole, then refined them in batches.
• Jiang Ning gained more than two hundred source points from the swallowed remains and decided to keep refining before considering the five-hundred-point cost of another breakthrough.
• He raised his silver halberd over the other Heavenly Soldier wreckage and prepared to test whether he could split it with one strike.

Jiang Ning refined the remains of the Heavenly Soldiers, broke through the Black Dragon Swallowing Whale Technique to gain Innate Spiritual Radiance, and greatly increased his strength. After consuming the remaining remains and silver halberd, he decided to return to the royal capital.

• Jiang Ning tested his improved strength by cutting apart a Heavenly Soldier's remains and severing its limbs at the joints.
• Jiang Ning swallowed the severed limbs and refined their silver energy, increasing his technique's experience and accumulating over six hundred Source Points.
• Jiang Ning spent 500 Source Points to break through to nine limit breaks and gained the pale-gold trait Innate Spiritual Radiance.
• Jiang Ning tested his new power by effortlessly splitting the remaining Heavenly Soldier torso, then swallowed the body and silver halberd and refined them.
• Jiang Ning gained 223.5 Source Points, saw his technique exceed 68,000 experience, and set off to return to the royal capital.

Jiang Ning returned safely to the Royal Capital after defeating the two heavenly soldiers, reassuring his family and friends that he could protect himself. He then took Zhong Ling to Five Peaks Prefecture, leaving the emperor waiting at Lishui Palace and an imperial guard rushing to learn when Jiang Ning would return.

• Jiang Ning flew back into the Royal Capital, and people across the city recognized him and wondered whether he could reach the Martial Saint’s level.
• Ji Xuan, Xiang Yuan, Xiao Wuque, Ji Minghao, and Shen Mengyun reacted to Jiang Ning’s return, while Ji Minghao went to Lishui Palace to meet him.
• Jiang Ning reunited with Lü Yi, Jiang Yiming, Jiang Li, and Liu Wanwan, told them the heavenly soldiers had been dealt with, and reassured his family that he could face the dangers ahead.
• Jiang Ning visited Zhong Ling, agreed to take her home to Five Peaks Prefecture, and promised to bring her back whenever she wished.
• Jiang Ning flew out of the Royal Capital with Zhong Ling as an imperial guard arrived with the emperor’s summons and hurried toward Marquis Dongling’s Residence to learn when Jiang Ning would return.

Jiang Ning arrived in Five Peaks Prefecture with Zhong Ling and learned that the Yellow Heaven Cult threatened Celestial City with an army led by two Heavenly Kings. He agreed to help Zhou Sheng defend the prefecture and healed Zhong Yue's injury, leaving the group ready to face the coming threat.

• Zhou Sheng and Zhong Yue worried that Five Peaks Prefecture could not withstand the Yellow Heaven Cult's approaching army.
• Jiang Ning brought Zhong Ling to Zhou Sheng's manor, where she reunited with Zhong Yue.
• Zhou Sheng explained that the Mountain-Subduing Heavenly King and Sea-Covering Heavenly King had conquered four cities and were advancing on Celestial City.
• Zhou Sheng and Zhong Yue asked Jiang Ning to help defend Five Peaks Prefecture, and Jiang Ning agreed.
• Jiang Ning removed the lingering alien energy from Zhong Yue's body, and Zhong Yue quickly recovered most of his strength.

Jiang Ning went to Broken Dragon Ridge and forced the Yellow Heaven Cult's two Heavenly Kings to withdraw their army from Five Peaks Prefecture. He then traveled to West Sand Commandery to meet Yellow Heaven Daoist, where he found five other accomplished figures gathered in the valley.

• Zhou Sheng told Jiang Ning that fifty thousand Yellow Heaven Cult troops were stationed outside Celestial City under the Mountain-Subduing Heavenly King and Sea-Covering Heavenly King.
• Jiang Ning used the Rainbow-Transformation Technique to reach Broken Dragon Ridge, where his overwhelming presence stunned the two Heavenly Kings.
• Jiang Ning offered the Heavenly Kings the choice to withdraw from Five Peaks Prefecture or die, and the Sea-Covering Heavenly King agreed to withdraw their troops.
• Jiang Ning announced that he would meet Yellow Heaven Daoist, then flew to West Sand Commandery and found him in a valley with five other figures.
• Yellow Heaven Daoist recognized Jiang Ning as a threat to his plans, while Jiang Ning studied the five figures gathered on the cushions.

Jiang Ning confronted Yellow Heaven Daoist in a mountain valley and argued that overthrowing Great Xia would bring devastating war, while Yellow Heaven Daoist insisted that revolution was necessary to create a fairer dynasty. Unable to change the cult leader’s mind, Jiang Ning challenged him, and their Primordial Spirit powers collided as the five Heavenly Kings watched from above the valley.

• Jiang Ning met Yellow Heaven Daoist in a valley whose formation gave the cult leader confidence that he could withstand the Martial Saint.
• Jiang Ning warned that war would unleash violence and ruin ordinary people’s lives, while Yellow Heaven Daoist argued that Great Xia’s suffering required a new dynasty.
• Jiang Ning accused Yellow Heaven Daoist of helping cause the realm’s turmoil, and Yellow Heaven Daoist admitted that he had hastened Great Xia’s decline to force a new era.
• Jiang Ning gave up trying to persuade Yellow Heaven Daoist and challenged him to prove he could overthrow Great Xia.
• Jiang Ning and Yellow Heaven Daoist unleashed their powers and clashed, shaking the valley and injuring the retreating Heavenly Kings.
• One Heavenly King explained that the displayed power was only a fraction of a true immortal’s might.

Jiang Ning clashed with the Yellow Heaven Daoist in West Sand Commandery and left after they proved nearly evenly matched. The Yellow Heaven Daoist ordered his forces to withdraw from Five Peaks Prefecture, while Jiang Ning decided to grow stronger before confronting him again and departed for Celestial City.

• Jiang Ning and the Yellow Heaven Daoist exchanged primordial spirit attacks for nearly a cup of tea, matching each other despite the devastation around them.
• Jiang Ning warned the Yellow Heaven Daoist against the Yellow Heaven Cult’s plans, then flew away without appearing injured.
• The Yellow Heaven Daoist confirmed to the five Heavenly Kings that Jiang Ning had not been disadvantaged and admitted that he could not see through Jiang Ning’s strength.
• The Yellow Heaven Daoist explained that the advance into Five Peaks Prefecture had only been a probe and ordered the Mountain Suppressor and Sea Overturner to withdraw.
• Jiang Ning reflected that the Yellow Heaven Daoist’s strength and the valley’s great formation made attacking him too risky, then flew toward Celestial City.

Jiang Ning returned from meeting the Heavenly Kings and the Yellow Heaven Daoist, securing a temporary reprieve for Five Peaks Prefecture before setting out for the Royal Capital. He reunited with Zhong Ling, promised to visit her, and arrived in the capital as Ji Minghao waited to meet him.

• Jiang Ning told Zhou Sheng and Zhong Yue that the Heavenly Kings had agreed to withdraw from Five Peaks Prefecture and that the Yellow Heaven Cult would make no major moves soon.
• Jiang Ning explained that he had met the Yellow Heaven Daoist, whose defenses made resolving the cult’s threat difficult in the short term.
• Jiang Ning said farewell to Zhou Sheng and walked through Celestial City with Zhong Ling, promising to return within three months.
• Jiang Ning discussed the dangers facing Great Xia with Zhong Ling and said he acted to protect people within his power, not out of lofty ideals.
• Jiang Ning flew to the Royal Capital, where Ji Minghao was relieved to see his return and expected him to visit Lishui Palace.