Chapter Summaries

Kong Changxun arrived in the States Carriage with the Sage Kong Regalia and forced the Flood Dragon Sage to retreat. Li Daoyuan saved Baling City from the falling Yangtze River, but his projection shattered, and the Li Family feared for his safety.

• Kong Changxun arrived in the States Carriage, carrying the Sage Kong Regalia and signaling the Kong Family’s intervention.
• The Flood Dragon Sage conceded defeat and withdrew, but threatened Fang Yun and demanded that the human-water race agreement be renegotiated.
• As the Yangtze Dragon fell toward Baling City, Li Daoyuan used the Commentary on the Water Classic to return the river to its course.
• Li Daoyuan’s projection shattered after he saved the river, and the Commentary on the Water Classic returned to the Li Family residence.
• The Li Family condemned the Qing Kingdom and the Zong and Lei Families, while scholars pledged support for the Li Family if it came to a literary battle.

Kong Changxun arrived in the States Carriage with Sage Kong’s relics, forcing the Flood Dragon Sage to retreat and ending the Zong and Lei Families’ attempt to bring down Fang Yun. As Kong Changxun departed to visit Saint Zong, Fang Yun openly declared that he had killed Lei Zhongmo because Lei Zhongmo deserved it and because Fang Yun had wanted him dead.

• Kong Changxun arrived in the States Carriage carrying Sage Kong’s Regalia, and the Flood Dragon Sage withdrew to his palace.
• Zong Wuyuan challenged Kong Changxun, so Zong Ganyu slapped his son and apologized for his insolence.
• Kong Changxun said he had come to visit Saint Zong, then descended from the States Carriage and disappeared.
• Zong Ganyu realized the Zong Family’s schemes had given Kong Changxun a reason to intervene, and he accused Fang Yun of engineering the outcome.
• Fang Yun said Lei Zhongmo had died because he deserved to die and because Fang Yun had wanted to kill him.

Fang Yun condemned Ge Yiming, Hua Qingniang, and the Qing River Trading Company for treason and betrayal, then used his power to execute the company’s leaders in front of the Literary Assembly. He left Hua Qingniang hanging in the air as she begged for mercy.

• Fang Yun declared that Ge Yiming had committed treason and betrayed the Human Race, and sentenced him to death despite Ge Yiming’s protests and the Qing Lord’s threats.
• Fang Yun condemned Hua Qingniang for betraying the Jing Kingdom, and she attacked Ge Yiming after he and the Qing Lord refused to protect her.
• Fang Yun sentenced the Qing River Trading Company to death, rejecting Ge Million’s plea to reform.
• Fang Yun crushed more than a hundred leaders of the Qing River Trading Company with a giant golden hand while the gathered crowd watched in silence.
• Fang Yun pointed at Hua Qingniang and lifted her into the air by an invisible noose as she begged him to spare her.

Fang Yun publicly executed Hua Qingniang and ignored threats from the Qing Lord and Zong Ganyu. After Zong Ganyu adopted Ge Yiming to shield him, Fang Yun killed Ge Yiming as well, leaving the assembly stunned.

• Fang Yun slaughtered the Qing River Trading Company’s people and hanged Hua Qingniang before the gathered scholars.
• Ge Yiming threatened Fang Yun with his status, while the Qing Lord threatened war and Zong Ganyu adopted Ge Yiming as his son.
• Ge Yiming asked Fang Yun to let the matter end, but Fang Yun condemned him for his crimes and said he deserved to die.
• Zong Ganyu and others tried to stop Fang Yun, but the Temple of Sages suppressed their powers.
• Fang Yun beheaded Ge Yiming with the True Dragon Ancient Sword and looked down over the assembly.

Fang Yun ordered Ge Million arrested despite resistance from the Qing Lord and Qing officials, while the Hall of Punishment and the Ritual Hall prepared to investigate Fang Yun’s killings. Their elders arrived at Yueyang Tower as tensions escalated.

• Fang Yun ordered Fang Shouye to arrest Ge Million for colluding with Qing officials and causing trouble in Xiang Prefecture.
• The Qing Lord and other Qing officials accused Fang Yun and filed complaints with the Sacred Academy’s Hall of Punishment.
• Gao Mo and Wu Jiu decided to travel to Baling City to investigate the killings of Lei Zhongmo and Ge Yiming.
• Fang Yun sealed the Literary Palaces of those protecting Ge Million and ordered Fang Shouye to beat aside anyone who resisted.
• Zong Ganyu announced the arrival of the Hall of Punishment and Ritual Hall elders, and Gao Mo and Wu Jiu descended beside Yueyang Tower.

Gao Mo and Wu Jiu arrived at Yueyang Tower to investigate Fang Yun’s killings, but Fang Yun defended his actions and continued arresting Qing Kingdom collaborators. As the officials were taken into custody, Zong Wuyuan reminded everyone that the Sacred Academy had not yet ruled on the case.

• Zong Ganyu accused Fang Yun of arrogance and demanded that the Sacred Academy punish him, while Fang Yun ordered Fang Shouye to arrest Ge Million.
• Gao Mo and Wu Jiu questioned the humiliating arrest, but Fang Yun explained that Ge Million had resisted, and Gao Mo concluded that the Jing Kingdom could arrest him because he was implicated in a major case.
• The Qing Lord asked Gao Mo to investigate Fang Yun’s killing of Ge Yiming, and Gao Mo promised preliminary findings the next day.
• Fang Yun ordered the arrest of corrupt Qing Officials serving in Xiang Prefecture, and the Qing Lord reassured them that he would clear their names.
• Zong Wuyuan declared that the Sacred Academy had not yet issued its ruling and that the outcome remained uncertain.

Fang Yun ended the Yueyang Tower Literary Gathering after mocking the Zong and Lei Families and the Qing Kingdom for colluding with the Flood Dragon Sage. The Hall of Punishment and Ritual Hall then began investigating his killing of Ge Yiming, and their elders judged that Fang Yun had acted too harshly but deserved only a minor disciplinary punishment.

• Fang Yun declared the literary assembly over after waiting for any further enemies to appear, and scholars and citizens celebrated his poetry and prose.
• Zong Ganyu announced that the Eastern Sage Pavilion, Hall of Punishment, and Ritual Hall would investigate, then Gao Mo questioned Fang Yun about killing Ge Yiming.
• Li Fanming, Ma Yuan, Kong Delun, Sun Naiyong, and thousands of others declared that Ge Yiming belonged to the rebel species, with millions of Jing Kingdom citizens joining them.
• Gao Mo ruled that Ge Yiming's actions had amounted to those of the rebel species, while Wu Jiu said Fang Yun was justified in punishing him but had acted too harshly by killing him.
• Gao Mo agreed that Fang Yun should receive a penalty for administering extrajudicial punishment, and Zong Ganyu objected to the judgment.

The Hall of Punishment and Ritual Hall sentenced Fang Yun for killing Ge Yiming, and he accepted the ruling while using military merit to offset its punishment. The gathering then turned to Fang Yun’s admitted killing of Lei Zhongmo.

• Gao Mo ruled that Ge Yiming’s crimes warranted exile but that Fang Yun had committed a grave wrong by killing him, while Pavilion Elder Wu imposed a fine and a requirement to copy the Thirteen Classics.
• Lei Tingzhen, Zong Ganyu, and the Qing Lord accepted the sentence, and Fang Yun agreed to it and requested a joint decree.
• Fang Yun said he would fulfill the Ritual Hall’s punishment and offset the Hall of Punishment’s sentence with military merit, including Zhang Longxiang’s military merit transferred to his name.
• Ge Yiming’s friends protested on the Discourse Ranking, while no one at the literary assembly dared challenge Fang Yun.
• Zong Ganyu declared that the assembly would now discuss Fang Yun’s killing of Lei Zhongmo, which Fang Yun had admitted before a million witnesses.

At the Sacred Academy hearing, Fang Yun explained why he killed Lei Zhongmo and claimed Lei Zhongmo had attacked him first in the Dragon Realm. Lei Tingzhen challenged him to produce evidence, and a yellow dragon arrived calling out to Fang Yun.

• Gao Mo asked Fang Yun whether he admitted killing Lei Zhongmo, and Fang Yun admitted it.
• Fang Yun listed the Lei Family’s attempts to sabotage his Dragon Gate Ascension, Lei Zhongmo’s false apology, and Lei Tingzhen’s threats as reasons he had wanted Lei Zhongmo dead.
• Fang Yun said Lei Zhongmo attacked first in the Dragon Realm, while Lei Tingzhen called the claim a lie and demanded evidence.
• Fang Yun said he had lifted the seal on the Dragon Realm battlefield and urged Lei Tingzhen to ask the Western Sea Dragon Palace for the witnesses’ account.
• After receiving a reply from the Western Sea Dragon Palace, Lei Tingzhen denied that the Water Race witnesses said Lei Zhongmo attacked first, and Fang Yun accused him of lying.
• A yellow dragon flew in and called out that it had missed Fang Yun.

Ao Huang returned from the Dragon Realm and reunited with Fang Yun at Yueyang Tower, where he loudly defended him and mocked the Qing Lord, Lei Tingzhen, and Zong Ganyu. As the Sacred Academy continued investigating Lei Zhongmo’s death, Ao Huang began reading the Discourse Ranking to catch up on the case.

• Ao Huang arrived at Yueyang Tower after breaking through in the Dragon Realm, and he gave Fang Yun a black pearl from his sister.
• Ao Huang scolded the Qing Lord, Lei Tingzhen, and Zong Ganyu for targeting Fang Yun, then vowed to protect the Fang Household while Fang Yun was away.
• After Big Rabbit described what had happened, Ao Huang praised Fang Yun for killing Ge Yiming and threatened to help him attack the Qing Kingdom if it kept targeting him.
• Ao Huang began reading the Discourse Ranking with the Radiant Prince’s official seal while Zong Ganyu reminded him not to interfere with the Sacred Academy’s investigation.
• Gao Mo asked whether Fang Yun or the Lei Family had anything further to say about the claim that Lei Zhongmo attacked first.

Fang Yun faced Zong Wuyuan’s demand that the Ritual Hall impose the Great Three Rites Punishment for killing Lei Zhongmo, while explaining the punishment to Ao Huang. Fang Yun then revealed evidence using the Black Pearl, projecting a vivid scene that showed Lei Zhongmo planning to teach a young man a lesson.

• Zong Wuyuan argued that Fang Yun’s killing of Lei Zhongmo warranted the Great Three Rites Punishment, and Wu Jiu acknowledged that strict ritual rules supported a severe penalty.
• Jiang Hechuan, a Kong Family Grand Academician, and Yan Yukong condemned Zong Wuyuan’s demand, while Ao Huang asked Fang Yun about the punishment.
• Fang Yun explained the Great Three Rites and their penalties to Ao Huang, who connected Zong Wuyuan’s demand with his grudge over Fang Yun refusing to take him as a student.
• Zong Wuyuan threatened to organize scholars to protest at Upside-Down Peak Mountain, and Zong Ganyu pledged to join him.
• When Wu Jiu asked Fang Yun for his view, Fang Yun said he had evidence and activated the Black Pearl with dragonforce.
• The Black Pearl projected a scene showing Lei Zhongmo, disguised in a lifelike image, saying that a young man needed a lesson in respecting his elders.

Fang Yun used a Sainthood Illusory Tower Pearl to show the Battle Realm events as evidence, revealing that Lei Zhongmo attacked first and documenting their contests. The projection then showed Saint Zong’s phantom appearing, while the gathered scholars recognized the significance of Fang Yun’s Sin Turtle Prison Chariot.

• Fang Yun explained that the pearl contained memories extracted by the Eastern Sea Dragon Sage and that its images could be admitted as evidence.
• Fang Yun accelerated the projection, then showed Lei Zhongmo attacking him first despite his higher Literary Rank.
• The projection showed Fang Yun and Lei Zhongmo competing in four contests, including Famous-General War Poetry and their respective battle techniques.
• Fang Yun’s Sin Turtle Prison Chariot impressed Legalist scholars, who connected it to the earlier intervention of the Legalist sages’ wills.
• Zong Wude activated his star position in the projection, and Saint Zong’s phantom appeared, prompting the Miscellaneous School scholars to bow.

Observers watched the projection reveal that Lei Zhongmo had attacked Fang Yun with murderous intent before Fang Yun killed him in self-defense. The evidence provoked public condemnation of the Lei and Zong families, and the chapter ended with Zong Wuyuan losing his sanity and dozens of people suffering shattered Literary Guts.

• Yi Zhishi said Fang Yun had likely used a power that even the Eastern Sea Dragon Sage might not have been able to perceive.
• Fang Shouye challenged Lei Tingzhen over Lei Zhongmo's use of the Sea-Dropping Blue Conch, and Gao Mo agreed that Lei Zhongmo had attacked Fang Yun first with intent to kill.
• The projection showed Fang Yun overpowering Lei Zhongmo's Dragon Race Literary Platform with his True Dragon Literary Platform and seven-pattern True Dragon Ancient Sword, then killing him after Lei Zhongmo threatened him.
• Jiang Hechuan ruled that Fang Yun had acted in self-defense, and the Wu Lord condemned the Lei Family for repeatedly trying to kill Fang Yun.
• Zong Wuyuan's Literary Guts cracked, leaving him raving that the evidence was fake, while Zong Ganyu rushed to treat him.
• Literary Guts cracked or shattered among members of the Lei and Zong families and officials from Qing Kingdom and Xiang Prefecture; Yan Yukong counted forty-seven sounds.

At Yueyang Tower, Fang Yun stripped Flood Dragon Sage Ao Zhou of his office and control of the Yangtze River through a decree of Dragon Peerage. Ao Zhou accepted the punishment outwardly but planned to seek power in the Ancestral Emperor Ruins and later destroy Fang Yun.

• After the Literary Assembly left many people with shattered Literary Guts, Zong Ganyu challenged Fang Yun, who dismissed him as childish.
• Fang Yun issued a dragon-speech decree stripping Flood Dragon Sage Ao Zhou of his office and position as Lord of the Yangtze, and the Yangtze River’s waters revealed the ancient Flood Dragon Palace.
• Ao Zhou vowed revenge as Fang Yun left Yueyang Tower.
• Ao Zhou consulted Chancellor Turtle and Minister Carp, then entrusted them with the Flood Dragon Sage Jade Seal while he prepared to travel to the Ancestral Emperor Ruins.
• Ao Zhou planned to gain an Ancestral Emperor’s treasure, join forces with the Dragon Sages, and destroy Fang Yun.

After Fang Yun’s literary assembly crippled the Lei and Zong families and weakened Qing officials, the gathering’s visitors departed and Fang Yun worked to stabilize Xiang Prefecture. By the seventeenth day of the eighth month, its government offices were functioning normally, though Baling City struggled to manage the crowds.

• The Lei Family left Yueyang Tower in disgrace, while the Zong Family departed with Zong Ganyu carrying his son, Zong Wuyuan.
• The Wu Lord and other Wu scholars taunted Qing officials and announced plans to gather in the Qing Capital.
• The Dongting Flood Dragon King considered whether to return to the Flood Dragon Palace or remain in Dongting Lake, since Fang Yun alone could formally invest him with his title.
• Fang Yun spent the sixteenth day of the eighth month meeting officials, scholars, and envoys while issuing instructions to manage Xiang Prefecture.
• With most Qing Officials imprisoned pending trial, the Minister of Literature recruited Jing Kingdom scholars to staff Xiang Prefecture’s government offices.
• By the seventeenth day of the eighth month, the Qing River Trading Company and Qing Officials had lost most of their influence, and Xiang Prefecture’s offices were operating normally.

Fang Yun discussed the risks of establishing a women’s academy and Xiang Prefecture’s fragile administration with Dong Wencong. Their conversation turned to the proposed deployment of young scholars to Two Worlds Mountain, then ended when Fang Yun received news of an unusual change in the Ten Cold Ancient Land.

• Scholars from across the Ten Kingdoms turned Baling City into a scene of ongoing literary contests and duels.
• Dong Wencong warned Fang Yun that many Great Scholars opposed the women’s academy and urged him to slow his efforts, but Fang Yun refused to abandon the cause.
• Fang Yun told Dong Wencong that he would give Xiang Prefecture a month to recover before rooting out the Qing Kingdom’s remaining influence, and Dong Wencong promised to help.
• Fang Yun learned that the Eastern Sage Pavilion was advancing a proposal to send young scholars to Two Worlds Mountain every three months for training.
• Fang Yun told Dong Wencong that an unusual change had occurred in the Ten Cold Ancient Land.

Fang Yun explained why he planned to go to the Ten Cold Ancient Land and outlined how he would stabilize Xiang Prefecture before leaving. He began his cleanup of the administration by ordering Dong Wencong to gather evidence of corruption among senior Qing Officials.

• Fang Yun told Dong Wencong that the Yan Family had asked him to compete for a Ten Cold King position as the Ancient Land approached Genesis Destruction.
• Fang Yun said he needed to stabilize Xiang Prefecture before departing, starting by cleaning up its official administration.
• Fang Yun described the need for authority, freedom from vested interests, and control of lower-ranking officials to make administrative reforms succeed.
• Dong Wencong praised Fang Yun's understanding of the challenges and pledged to assist him.
• Fang Yun ordered Dong Wencong to work with the Legal Office and Criminal Office to gather and publicly release accurate evidence of corruption among Qing Officials of the seventh rank and above.

Fang Yun handled government affairs while the Dongting Flood Dragon King reported that the Flood Dragon Sage had left the Saint Origin Continent and sought reassurance that he could keep ruling Dongting Lake. As scholars and refugees moved toward Jing Kingdom, Fang Yun continued strengthening his administration and monitoring his enemies.

• The Wu Lord warned Fang Yun that the Qing Kingdom's scholars had avoided literary contests and that the Zong Family, Lei Family, and Qing Lord might seek revenge.
• The Dongting Flood Dragon King told Fang Yun that the Flood Dragon Sage had borrowed a treasure from the Southern Sea Dragon Palace and departed into the starry heavens.
• Fang Yun ordered the Dongting Flood Dragon King to support the human race and provide favorable weather for the Jing Kingdom, then promised he could remain lord of Dongting Lake if he behaved.
• Scholars and commoners traveled through Baling City toward the Enlightenment River, the Qing Capital, and Ning'an County, while Fang Yun accepted refugees and had criminals arrested.
• The Lei Family swore vengeance against Fang Yun, the Zong Family curtailed its activities, and the Qing Lord's health worsened after the Yueyang Tower incident.

Fang Yun began reforming Xiang Prefecture’s government before pausing his campaign to preside over the Provincial Graduate Examination. At the examination grounds, he used Memory Retrospection to investigate a report of counterfeit passes, surprising the officials with an ability usually mastered only by Great Scholars.

• Yang Yuhuan, Nunu, Su Xiaoxiao, Ao Huang, and Fang Yun’s private soldiers arrived in Baling City and settled there.
• Fang Yun appointed Ao Huang admiral of Xiang Prefecture’s Demon Army, and Ao Huang began training the water demons.
• Fang Yun announced a campaign to rectify Xiang Prefecture’s officials and ordered government offices to adopt standardized vernacular characters and document formats.
• Fang Yun went to Baling City’s Literary Academy to preside over the Provincial Graduate Examination, which drew seventy thousand candidates.
• During lunch, Fang Yun questioned six runners about two students barred from the examination grounds with counterfeit passes.
• Fang Yun used Memory Retrospection to examine the incident and revealed that he had mastered the Great Scholar ability while still a Grand Academician.

Fang Yun used Memory Retrospection to identify Zhuang Li as the man behind the switched examination tokens and insisted the Imperial Examination be protected from interference. After the Provincial Graduate Examination results were posted, Zhuang Li passed but was arrested for the suspected fraud.

• Fang Yun used Memory Retrospection to hear the runners discover the switched tokens and identify Zhuang Li as the suspected culprit.
• Fang Yun told Dong Wencong that the examination must be protected, and Dong promised an impartial investigation and strict punishment.
• Fang Yun ordered officials to wait until after the results were posted before handling the case against Zhuang Li.
• After the examination, Fang Yun saw Zhuang Li's household beat and drive away the two men whose tokens had been switched.
• When the results were posted, Zhuang Li celebrated passing as a Provincial Graduate, but yamen runners arrested him on suspicion of switching examination tokens.