Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ji Bochang, a general of Cloud-Dream Palace, arrives at the Cloud-Dream Palace to report the death of the Little Heavenly General.
• At the entrance, General Black Abyss sarcastically warns him that the Palace Lord is in a terrible mood, increasing Ji Bochang’s anxiety.
• Upon entering the main hall, Ji Bochang discovers that a mysterious young man from the Heavenly Court’s Sky-Patrol Bureau is seated on the Supreme Seat, while the Cloud-Dream Palace Lord sits inconspicuously below him.
• The Heavenly Court official questions the Little Heavenly General’s recent mission to the Immortal-God Cave Abode, particularly his attempt to obtain the Dao Painting.
• Under intense pressure, Ji Bochang reveals that the Little Heavenly General has been killed.
• He explains that the surviving forces returned in defeat and that He Laoyao reported the Little Heavenly General had revealed his true form and used immortal arts before dying.
• The killer was identified as a young human female cultivator who practiced the Wind-Fire True Form Art and the Demon-Defeating Eight Spears.
• The chapter ends with the shocking revelation that the killer was only at the Chessmaster Tenth Son Realm, despite defeating an opponent powerful enough to use immortal arts.

Character Developments

• Ji Bochang is portrayed as fearful, politically cautious, and deeply aware of the danger surrounding his report. He initially tries to maintain composure but becomes increasingly nervous under the scrutiny of both powerful authorities. Once he reveals the truth, he feels relieved that the uncertainty is over and proceeds to disclose everything.
• The Cloud-Dream Palace Lord maintains an outwardly controlled and dignified demeanor, but the Little Heavenly General’s death causes visible emotional spasms and concern. His question about who could have killed someone using immortal arts shows his disbelief.
• The Heavenly Court Sky-Patrol Bureau official appears calm, enigmatic, and overwhelmingly powerful. His gentle appearance and restrained aura conceal an intimidating presence. His interest in the Little Heavenly General suggests that the victim held considerable importance to the Heavenly Court.
• General Black Abyss is introduced as a sarcastic, intimidating gatekeeper who seems confident in his position and indifferent to Ji Bochang’s anxiety.

Significant Themes

• The danger of delivering bad news to the powerful: Ji Bochang’s fear reflects the oppressive hierarchy of Cloud-Dream Palace and the risks faced by lesser officials.
• Political pressure and accountability: Ji Bochang knows that hiding the Little Heavenly General’s death could bring even worse consequences, potentially endangering his entire tribe.
• Hidden strength and underestimated opponents: The death of a powerful Heavenly Court prodigy at the hands of a cultivator in a seemingly lower realm creates a mystery surrounding the female cultivator’s true abilities.
• Appearance versus reality: The Heavenly Court official looks like a gentle young Daoist, while the Palace Lord is almost unnoticed because he suppresses his aura. The chapter repeatedly contrasts outward appearances with actual power and status.
• Foreboding and impending conflict: The Little Heavenly General’s death is likely to provoke serious consequences for Cloud-Dream Palace, the Heavenly Court, and the mysterious human cultivator.

Character Interactions

• Ji Bochang and General Black Abyss: Their exchange is tense and antagonistic, with Black Abyss mocking Ji Bochang’s arrival and Ji Bochang suppressing his anger because of the seriousness of his mission.
• Ji Bochang and the Cloud-Dream Palace Lord: The Palace Lord questions him sharply about the mission, while Ji Bochang struggles to deliver the fatal news. Their interaction emphasizes the Palace Lord’s authority and Ji Bochang’s fear.
• Ji Bochang and the Sky-Patrol Bureau official: The official’s calm gaze and direct questioning place Ji Bochang under severe pressure. Ji Bochang is especially distressed because the official represents the Heavenly Court and had personally valued the Little Heavenly General.
• The Palace Lord and the Sky-Patrol Bureau official: Their seating arrangement establishes the official’s superior status, with the Heavenly Court representative occupying the Supreme Seat while the Palace Lord sits below. Their shared concern over the Little Heavenly General’s death hints at a politically significant relationship.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the Cloud-Dream Palace, General Ji Bochang reports that a mysterious woman at the Tenth Son Realm defeated the Little Heavenly General He Laoyao, who had revealed his true form and used immortal arts. She destroyed his immortal technique with her bare hands, killed him with a single punch, and seized the Dao Painting.
• The Cloud-Dream Palace Lord initially refuses to believe that someone at such a low realm could accomplish this, but a visiting Sky-Patrol Bureau Immortal accepts the report and decides to personally investigate.
• The Immortal reveals that the woman’s death was connected to a Heavenly Court objective and declares that he must “settle the karma.” The Palace Lord offers to capture her himself, but the Immortal sharply rebukes him for interfering and reminds him of his past punishment and subservience to the Heavenly Court.
• After the Immortal leaves, the Palace Lord realizes the true intention: the Heavenly Court wants to recruit the woman rather than kill her, bypassing Cloud-Dream Palace entirely. Furious and despairing, he recognizes that this could worsen his standing with his own master and feels that his power and influence are being stripped away.
• In Chang’an City, Jiang Yuechu and Wei Qing play a childish blindfolded game inside a secluded courtyard. Xuan Yuanming guards the entrance and refuses to allow interruptions.
• Old Red Flood Dragon and Niu Ben arrive with an urgent matter. Old Red Flood Dragon attempts to assert his status as His Highness’s longtime confidant, but Xuan Yuanming’s overwhelming presence stops him.
• Suggestive sounds from inside the room make the visitors mistakenly believe that His Highness and Jiang Yuechu are engaged in an intimate struggle. Embarrassed, Old Red Flood Dragon retreats while Niu Ben innocently wonders whether His Highness is “fighting inside” and why they did not call him to help.

Character Developments

• The Sky-Patrol Bureau Immortal is established as calm, authoritative, and extremely powerful. He views the mysterious woman as a rare genius and takes personal responsibility for dealing with her, while subtly indicating the Heavenly Court’s interest in recruiting her.
• The Cloud-Dream Palace Lord is shown to be fearful and politically vulnerable. His past betrayal and submission to the Heavenly Court remain a deep source of shame. His anger at the woman is mixed with helplessness because he realizes he cannot control the situation.
• Ji Bochang is portrayed as cautious and self-preserving. Once the Heavenly Court Immortal takes over, he quickly withdraws to avoid involvement.
• Old Red Flood Dragon remains proud and competitive, particularly protective of his status as His Highness’s chief confidant. Despite his bravado, he is easily intimidated by Xuan Yuanming and becomes comically embarrassed by the sounds from inside.
• Xuan Yuanming demonstrates quiet authority and loyalty. Without displaying his full strength, he overwhelms Old Red Flood Dragon and faithfully follows Jiang Yuechu’s order to prevent disturbances.
• Niu Ben is characterized as straightforward and naïve, interpreting the misleading sounds literally and humorously offering his help.

Significant Themes

• Power and hierarchy: The chapter contrasts the Heavenly Court’s overwhelming authority with the Cloud-Dream Palace Lord’s fear and inability to resist it.
• Political manipulation and recruitment: The Heavenly Court’s stated goal of “settling karma” conceals its desire to claim a potentially extraordinary talent.
• Past betrayal and guilt: The Palace Lord’s history of betraying his former allies and disciples continues to haunt him, making his current humiliation especially painful.
• Misunderstanding and comic relief: The serious political developments are juxtaposed with a farcical domestic scene in which innocent play is mistaken for an intimate battle.
• Loyalty and status: Old Red Flood Dragon’s insecurity about being replaced highlights the importance of personal loyalty and rank within His Highness’s circle.

Character Interactions

• The Immortal dominates his exchange with the Cloud-Dream Palace Lord, repeatedly cutting him off and warning him not to interfere.
• Ji Bochang reports the battle while trying to avoid responsibility, then flees once the Heavenly Court takes control.
• The Cloud-Dream Palace Lord’s internal resentment toward the Heavenly Court and his envy of the mysterious woman emerge after the hall empties.
• Old Red Flood Dragon challenges Xuan Yuanming’s authority, but Xuan Yuanming calmly blocks him and asserts that the “fairy” has ordered that no one disturb the occupants.
• The playful exchange between Jiang Yuechu and Wei Qing is overheard and misunderstood by Old Red Flood Dragon and Niu Ben, producing the chapter’s closing gag.

Chapter Summary: “White Elephant Comes Calling”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuan Yuanming catches Old Red Flood Dragon and Niu Ben spying from behind a courtyard wall. He mocks their poor concealment and allows them inside after they claim to have urgent news.
• Old Red Flood Dragon tries to preserve his dignity by pretending to be an important adviser, while Niu Ben drags him away from provoking Xuan Yuanming.
• Inside, Jiang Yuechu is resting while Wei Qing massages her shoulders. Old Red Flood Dragon theatrically flatters Jiang, praising her power and sacrifices for the Great Tang. Jiang dismisses the flattery and asks him to state his business.
• He reports that a mysterious visitor in a gray robe and hood wishes to meet Jiang and says he can present an “item” whenever she is available.
• Jiang immediately realizes the visitor is White Elephant. Though she had hoped to continue resting, she accepts that her break is over, teasingly pinches Wei Qing’s cheek, and leaves to meet him.
• Outside Chang’an, Jiang finds White Elephant observing commoners repairing roads and pits left behind by earlier battles and invasions.
• White Elephant reflects on how physical damage can be repaired while the consequences of certain actions—and the loss of people or relationships—cannot be undone. He advises Jiang not to devote her entire life to cultivation and killing, warning that excessive haste may leave her isolated and unable to recover what she has neglected.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu remains powerful, confident, and somewhat detached, but she also shows affection and familiarity with Wei Qing. Her willingness to interrupt her rest suggests she recognizes the importance of White Elephant’s visit.
• Old Red Flood Dragon is revealed as shamelessly flattering, status-conscious, and comical, yet he also sees himself as loyal and intelligent. He claims that loyalty and brains—not strength—are what make him Jiang’s confidant.
• Niu Ben is portrayed as honest, physically imposing, and less socially capable than Old Red Flood Dragon. Despite his bluntness, he is practical enough to prevent unnecessary conflict with Xuan Yuanming.
• Xuan Yuanming demonstrates alertness and confidence as a gatekeeper. He openly ridicules the two demons and appears unconcerned with Old Red Flood Dragon’s attempts at intimidation.
• Wei Qing has a comfortable, close relationship with Jiang. Her irritated response to Jiang’s cheek pinch reveals familiarity and affection beneath their playful exchanges.
• White Elephant acts as a thoughtful elder or adviser. His concern is less about Jiang’s immediate power and more about the emotional and human cost of her relentless pursuit of strength.

Significant Themes

• The limits of power: Even overwhelming cultivation cannot restore lost people, erased relationships, or irreversible choices.
• The cost of relentless ambition: White Elephant warns that constant advancement can cause someone to miss the “scenery” and attachments of life.
• Restoration and irreversibility: Roads and walls can be rebuilt, but human consequences cannot always be repaired.
• Loyalty versus strength: Old Red Flood Dragon insists that Jiang values loyalty and intelligence rather than merely power, reinforcing the unusual nature of her retinue.
• Humor amid serious concerns: The servants’ antics and exaggerated flattery contrast with the chapter’s sober reflection on mortality, regret, and emotional isolation.

Character Interactions

• Xuan Yuanming humiliates Old Red Flood Dragon and Niu Ben by exposing their spying and refusing to indulge their pretensions.
• Old Red Flood Dragon and Niu Ben bicker over responsibility and status, highlighting their comedic but loyal partnership.
• Jiang responds to Old Red Flood Dragon’s flattery with tolerant exasperation, showing that she is accustomed to his behavior.
• Jiang and Wei Qing share a teasing, intimate exchange before Jiang departs.
• Jiang and White Elephant have a calm but weighty meeting in which he gently challenges her priorities and urges her to preserve meaningful relationships before they disappear.

Chapter Summary

Plot and Key Events

• White Elephant explains that the Dao Painting is not an ordinary treasure but the embodiment of the world’s destiny, laws, and the collective thoughts of all living beings.
• Merging with it is permanent unless the wielder dies and their Dao disperses. Because Jiang Yuechu has not yet fully entered the Painting Realm, she would only be able to use a fraction of its power.
• More dangerously, the Dao Painting would constantly expose her soul to the prayers, desires, hatred, greed, and killing intent of countless beings. White Elephant reveals that Mo Yang previously suffered and eventually died from bearing this burden.
• Jiang realizes that accepting the Dao Painting will also mean White Elephant’s death, since he has been sustaining it within himself.
• White Elephant willingly sacrifices himself, explaining that his life’s purpose was to find someone capable of inheriting the burden. His body and Primordial Spirit disintegrate, revealing half of the Star Palace Records.
• Before completely vanishing, he identifies himself as Formless, a direct disciple of Mo Yang from the Jade Capital Tower, and congratulates Jiang in advance on attaining the Painting Realm.
• Jiang quietly accepts the half-scroll and responds, “Thank you for the blessing.”

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu remains practical, composed, and focused on the objective, initially treating White Elephant’s warnings almost like an inconvenient explanation of an item’s limitations. However, his willingness to die for his mission stirs an unusual, subdued emotional response in her.
• White Elephant/Formless is revealed to be a loyal and tragic survivor. He has endured years of hiding and spiritual torment while preserving the Dao Painting until he could entrust it to someone worthy. His final act brings him relief and allows him to openly reclaim his identity and allegiance to Mo Yang.
• Jiang’s acceptance of the Dao Painting marks a major step toward her eventual advancement into the Painting Realm, though it also places an immense spiritual and karmic burden upon her.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and release: Formless views death not as a tragedy but as liberation after fulfilling his purpose.
• The burden of power: The Dao Painting grants extraordinary potential while forcing its bearer to shoulder the suffering and desires of the entire world.
• Legacy and succession: Formless passes Mo Yang’s legacy to Jiang, entrusting her with both the Dao Painting and the responsibility of advancing his former master’s path.
• Emotional restraint: Jiang’s minimal outward reaction contrasts with the profound significance of Formless’s death, suggesting that her silence conceals developing respect and feeling.
• No true shortcuts: White Elephant emphasizes that great power requires enduring corresponding hardship; advancement cannot be gained without accepting its costs.

Character Interactions

• White Elephant patiently instructs Jiang about the Dao Painting and seeks her consent before handing it over.
• Jiang challenges his explanation with practical questions, especially about why he can possess the painting if it cannot be removed without death.
• White Elephant answers by revealing that he is already spiritually dead inside and has spent his life waiting for a successor.
• His final bow and self-sacrifice transform their exchange from a simple transfer of power into a solemn act of trust and gratitude.
• Jiang honors him with a restrained acknowledgment, accepting both his blessing and the responsibility he leaves behind.

Summary — Carving a Path Through Blood (Part 1)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu absorbs the Dao Painting, initially believing that nothing has happened because it dissolves into starlight and disappears beneath her robes.
• The painting suddenly forces her consciousness into a vast starry illusion filled with the obsessions of countless living beings—desires, hatred, greed, love, resentment, and the will to live or die.
• The overwhelming mental assault nearly incapacitates her, but her twelve Dao Chess pieces, especially the three newly advanced Heavenly-Grade pieces, suppress and destroy the invading obsessions.
• Jiang discovers that these three chess pieces possess an unusually powerful counteracting effect against the Dao Painting’s mental backlash.
• She deliberately tests the painting by channeling more of its power. Although the Heavenly-Grade pieces continue suppressing the obsessions, the backlash grows increasingly intense as the starlight expands.
• When the starlight reaches roughly the size of an egg, Jiang reaches her current limit and cuts off the connection. She concludes that, despite being unable to use the painting fully, its transcendent power gives her another valuable trump card.
• Meanwhile, Deacon Linghan travels aboard a flying vessel with Lin Feiyan. He worries that the death of Gao Qingxiu and the recent events in the cave abode may trigger a larger conflict.
• Linghan warns Lin Feiyan not to seek revenge against Jiang Yuechu, explaining that Gao Qingxiu’s death was his own fate and that Jieqing Sect cannot afford to oppose such a powerful figure.
• The chapter ends with Linghan realizing that the surviving group may have to rely on themselves. Although the demons of Cloud-Dream Palace have fled and the Dao Painting’s location should now be known, no one has arrived to assist them.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu gains a deeper understanding of the Dao Painting and confirms that she can use its power without immediately being overwhelmed. Her Heavenly-Grade Dao Chess pieces greatly strengthen her mental defenses, giving her confidence and a new combat resource.
• Jiang remains calm and decisive under extreme pressure. Rather than fearing the painting’s backlash, she experiments with it methodically and withdraws as soon as she identifies her limit.
• Lin Feiyan is emotionally shaken by Gao Qingxiu’s death. Although she understands intellectually that Gao brought about his own downfall, she remains unable to suppress her grief, conflicted feelings, and lingering obsession.
• Deacon Linghan acts as a pragmatic protector and mediator. He attempts to stabilize Lin Feiyan while prioritizing Jieqing Sect’s survival and political interests over personal justice.

Significant Themes

• Power and mental resistance: The Dao Painting grants immense power but exposes its user to the accumulated obsessions of living beings. True strength requires not only cultivation but also the ability to withstand psychological corruption.
• The cost of extraordinary power: Jiang can access a force beyond her realm, but only within strict limits. Her control over the painting is powerful yet incomplete.
• Reason versus emotion: Lin Feiyan knows Gao Qingxiu was responsible for his own death, but grief and attachment cannot be resolved through logic alone.
• Pragmatism in the cultivation world: Linghan emphasizes that sects value survival and advantage over abstract justice. Jieqing Sect is unlikely to confront Jiang when doing so would threaten its relationship with a vastly superior expert.
• The isolation of the powerful: Jiang’s overwhelming strength has made others cautious and powerless to intervene, while the survivors of the cave abode appear increasingly abandoned.

Character Interactions

• Jiang’s confrontation is primarily internal: she battles the Dao Painting’s chaotic mental influence and relies on her Dao Chess pieces to regain control.
• Linghan tries to comfort Lin Feiyan by comparing her setback to the natural gap between ordinary cultivators and monstrous geniuses.
• When Lin Feiyan continues silently grieving Gao Qingxiu, Linghan becomes more direct, warning her not to pursue justice against Jiang.
• Their conversation reveals the tension between Lin Feiyan’s emotional loyalty and Linghan’s practical understanding of sect politics.
• The final exchange shifts the mood from personal grief to broader danger, as Linghan realizes that the lack of outside assistance may signal that the group must escape or survive on its own.

Chapter Summary: Carving a Path Through Blood (Part 2)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuan Yuanming continues serving as a gatekeeper outside Jiang Yuechu’s courtyard. He reflects that a quiet, subordinate life is preferable to the endless violence of cultivation and warfare.
• Jiang Yuechu questions him about Dao Paintings. Xuan Yuanming admits that, despite being talented in the Southern Immortal Palace, he knows little about them and has no realistic hope of entering the Painting Realm. His only possible inheritance is his father’s Dao Painting, though his father may outlive him.
• He does, however, explain the two main approaches of Painting Realm cultivators:
  • Most slaughter and refine all living beings within their paintings.
  • The Nine Great Dao Sects preserve those beings, enduring their obsessions and spiritual backlash while receiving nourishment from their continued existence.
• Jiang Yuechu becomes interested in this second method because the stronger the beings within her painting become, the more power she can gain from them. She considers leaving the painting world to test herself against a Painting Realm expert, relying on her vast reserve of more than twenty million years of Dao Painting.
• Outside the Immortal-God Cave Abode, the Dao Sect forces have been driven away, leaving the Cloud-Dream Palace’s demon and devil army in control of the surrounding desert.
• The Cloud-Dream forces remain highly alert because their previous assault failed, and neither allowing the Dao Sect cultivators to enter nor escape is acceptable.
• General Fu commands the siege after Ji Bochang’s departure. He Laoyao, once favored because of his daughter’s connection to the deceased Little Heavenly General, now faces certain punishment and is being used until he is no longer needed.
• The cave entrance suddenly activates. Before General Fu can finish ordering an attack, numerous flying vessels burst out and scatter in every direction.
• Furious at being interrupted again, General Fu orders the army to pursue and kill the escaping cultivators, sealing off the area so that none can survive.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu: Becomes increasingly strategic and pragmatic. Rather than simply destroying the beings in her painting, she considers cultivating them as a source of long-term power. She also grows more willing to leave her safe base and confront stronger opponents.
• Xuan Yuanming: Fully embraces his role as a gatekeeper and displays a more submissive, cautious personality. Though lacking deep knowledge of Dao Paintings, he proves useful by explaining the broader principles behind them.
• General Fu: Reveals himself as a strict, aggressive commander. His authority is undermined when the escaping vessels interrupt his battle speech, intensifying his anger and determination.
• He Laoyao: Suffers a dramatic reversal of fortune. His former confidence and influence have vanished following the Little Heavenly General’s death, leaving him vulnerable to being sacrificed by the Cloud-Dream Palace.
• Little Heavenly General: Though already dead, his death continues to shape the political situation and threatens the survival of those associated with him.

Significant Themes

• Peace versus violence: Xuan Yuanming’s reflections contrast the endless battles of cultivators with the simple desire for stability, suggesting that power struggles may ultimately be futile.
• Power through preservation: The chapter presents an alternative to destruction—maintaining life within a Dao Painting can create a reciprocal source of strength, though it brings spiritual burdens.
• Political impermanence: He Laoyao’s rapid fall demonstrates how quickly status disappears when it depends on powerful patrons or political connections.
• Strategic patience versus immediate force: Jiang Yuechu considers long-term cultivation and development, while the Cloud-Dream Palace responds through military pressure and extermination.
• Humor amid danger: Xuan Yuanming’s bleak complaints and General Fu’s repeated failure to finish his commands provide comic relief against the backdrop of siege and impending slaughter.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuechu and Xuan Yuanming: Their conversation is formally unequal but informative. Jiang questions him about Dao Paintings, while he cautiously tries to determine her intentions and offers knowledge about preserving living beings.
• General Fu and He Laoyao: Their relationship reflects a reversal of power. General Fu once sought He Laoyao’s favor, but now silently regards him as a doomed subordinate whose usefulness is nearly exhausted.
• General Fu and the Cloud-Dream army: He attempts to rally the troops and impose order, but the sudden escape disrupts his command, provoking him into issuing a direct kill order.
• The Dao Sect cultivators and Cloud-Dream Palace: Their conflict shifts from a static siege to a desperate pursuit as the Dao Sect forces attempt to flee in multiple directions.

General Fu attacked the Dao Sect’s fleeing cultivators while Deacon Linghan tried to lead a battered flying boat through the demonic encirclement. Linghan’s charge ended when General Fu struck him down, leaving the disciples facing the Demon general.

• General Fu destroyed the lead flying boats and ordered the other generals to kill the exposed Dao Sect cultivators.
• The generals resented General Fu’s attempt to claim the Dao Painting and advance his standing, but obeyed his command and attacked the cultivators.
• Deacon Linghan urged the panicked disciples aboard the flying boat to flee faster, while Lin Feiyan asked what they should do.
• Seeing no escape from the Demons’ encirclement, Deacon Linghan declared that they would carve a bloody path out and charged ahead.
• General Fu struck Linghan back through the flying boat’s deck, and the wounded deacon lay twitching as the Demon approached with a grin.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Dao Sect elders execute their plan to sacrifice their younger disciples and stewards as bait while the elders escape aboard the Jieqing Flying Ship.
• Once the demons are distracted, the elders unleash powerful attacks, destroying the demon soldiers blocking their path and clearing a route toward the desert’s edge.
• Believing their strategy successful, the elders boast that the Cloud-Dream Palace demons were easily manipulated.
• Great General Fu and several powerful demon generals suddenly arrive. Fu destroys the already damaged flying ship with a single strike, leaving the Dao Sect disciples exposed to the demon soldiers.
• Great General Fu mocks the elders for attempting to scheme against him, but his confidence falters when he notices a mysterious white-robed woman standing silently above the battlefield.
• He Laoyao recognizes the woman as the terrifying figure who previously defeated the demons and killed Little Heavenly General.
• The woman casually turns around and raises her hand. With one overwhelming attack, she destroys Great General Fu’s head and kills him instantly.
• The demon generals realize that she was almost certainly responsible for Little Heavenly General’s death. Although terrified, they decide that fleeing would bring punishment from Cloud-Dream Palace, so they prepare to attack her together.

Character Developments

• The Dao Sect elders reveal their ruthlessness and willingness to sacrifice their own disciples for the survival of the sects. Their initial confidence collapses when Great General Fu arrives and destroys their escape plan.
• Great General Fu is introduced as arrogant, cruel, and eager for military glory. He believes the Dao Sect elders have been outmaneuvered, but his bravado turns to fear when he senses the white-robed woman’s hidden strength. His death demonstrates the vast gap between his power and hers.
• He Laoyao is shown to be deeply traumatized by the white-robed woman. Unlike the other demons, he immediately recognizes the danger and wants to flee, but fear of punishment forces him to remain.
• The white-robed woman remains calm, detached, and almost playful amid the slaughter. Her casual manner contrasts sharply with her overwhelming combat ability, establishing her as an immensely powerful and mysterious figure.

Significant Themes

• Survival versus loyalty: The Dao Sect elders sacrifice their disciples to preserve the sect leadership, while the demon generals consider risking their lives because retreat would endanger their families.
• Arrogance and miscalculation: Both the Dao Sect elders and Great General Fu assume they understand the battlefield, only to be overturned by a stronger and unexpected force.
• The cruelty of war: Disciples are treated as expendable bait, and both sides reduce human and demon lives to strategic resources.
• Overwhelming power and fear: The white-robed woman’s effortless victory emphasizes the gulf between ordinary powerful cultivators and truly monstrous strength.
• Fate and desperation: The demon generals believe they are doomed whether they flee or fight, driving them toward a final, desperate attack.

Character Interactions

• The Yuanshan Sect elder persuades the other elders not to dwell on the sacrificed disciples, reinforcing their collective decision to prioritize the sects’ survival.
• The elders coordinate their attacks to break through the demon encirclement, then congratulate themselves on deceiving the demons.
• Great General Fu confronts and mocks the Dao Sect elders before destroying their flying ship.
• He Laoyao recognizes the white-robed woman and attempts to warn the others, but Great General Fu restrains him and threatens him with punishment for fleeing.
• The white-robed woman silently confronts Great General Fu, kills him with a single palm strike, and leaves the surviving demon generals to unite against her.

Jiang Yuechu overwhelmed the Cloud-Dream Palace generals with a devastating spear technique, while He Laoyao fled and realized Xuan Yuanming had revealed that the immortals' and gods' relics were on him.

• The Cloud-Dream Palace generals attacked Jiang Yuechu together and tried to restrain her.
• Jiang Yuechu summoned a Purple-Gold Spear and killed the Two-Headed Fiend Ape general with a single thrust.
• Jiang Yuechu's black flames and spear shadows pierced the other generals as He Laoyao watched in terror.
• He Laoyao tried to flee, but Jiang Yuechu stopped him and asked whether Xuan Yuanming was the person she sought.
• He Laoyao spotted Xuan Yuanming hiding behind a broken hill and realized he had leaked that He Laoyao carried the immortals' and gods' relics.

Chapter Summary: “Ji Bochang at a Loss”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu successfully kills a powerful Chessmaster Realm creature, gaining over 8.4 million years of Dao Cultivation and obtaining a Dao-Union Relic.
• She stores the creature’s corpse and surveys the battlefield, where the surviving forces are stunned by her overwhelming strength. The Cloud-Dream Palace generals—feared throughout the region—have been slaughtered almost instantly.
• Lin Feiyan, aboard the shattered flying vessel, initially believes they are doomed. Deacon Linghan, gravely wounded, urges her to flee and even begins offering final instructions for after his death.
• Lin Feiyan realizes that the mysterious white-robed woman has changed their situation. Jiang Yuechu stands alone before thousands of demon soldiers, her spear dripping with demon blood, and forces the entire battlefield into silence.
• Jiang Yuechu releases her Purple-Gold Spear. It flies independently through the demon army, piercing and killing demons in rapid succession. The weapon’s unpredictable movements create a massacre, and Jiang Yuechu’s Dao Cultivation rapidly rises to 274.5 million years.
• Elsewhere, Ji Bochang escorts a Heavenly Court immortal through the Cloud-Dream Realm. The immortal claims not to know the local routes and asks Ji Bochang to guide him, though Ji Bochang privately suspects this is merely an excuse to order him around.
• Ji Bochang describes the Cloud-Dream Main Palace, its four subordinate palaces, more than a hundred generals, and its million-strong demon army as a powerful and secure force.
• He dismisses the Nine Great Dao Sects as weak and cowardly, insisting they could never oppose Cloud-Dream Palace in a true confrontation.
• When the pair reaches the desert, they discover that the supposedly invincible Cloud-Dream army has been completely annihilated. The immortal dryly questions Ji Bochang’s claim that the army was “nothing to fear.”
• Humiliated and bewildered, Ji Bochang can barely explain what happened before a sudden dragon roar erupts beside them, ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu: Demonstrates overwhelming combat power and complete composure. She transitions from quietly observing the battlefield to effortlessly exterminating an entire demon force, establishing herself as an almost unstoppable figure.
• Lin Feiyan: Moves from despair to astonishment and renewed hope after witnessing Jiang Yuechu’s arrival. Her reaction highlights how extraordinary Jiang Yuechu’s strength appears to ordinary cultivators.
• Deacon Linghan: Though severely injured, he remains concerned for Lin Feiyan’s survival. His grim, slightly humorous farewell shows both his desperation and his resilience.
• Ji Bochang: Reveals himself as outwardly submissive but inwardly resentful and shrewd. His confidence in Cloud-Dream Palace collapses when he sees its army destroyed, leaving him embarrassed and speechless.
• The Heavenly Court immortal: Remains calm, observant, and difficult to read. His understated questions expose Ji Bochang’s exaggerated claims and suggest that he may already understand more about the situation than he reveals.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and shifting authority: Jiang Yuechu’s effortless slaughter overturns the assumed hierarchy between the Cloud-Dream forces and their enemies.
• Appearance versus reality: Ji Bochang presents Cloud-Dream Palace as nearly invincible, but the battlefield immediately proves his assessment false.
• Despair transformed into hope: Lin Feiyan and Deacon Linghan believe death is imminent until Jiang Yuechu’s intervention reverses the situation.
• Humor amid danger: Ji Bochang’s internal complaints and awkward flattery provide comic relief within an otherwise brutal battlefield scene.
• The limits of reputation: The Cloud-Dream generals’ fearsome reputations mean nothing once confronted by a truly superior force.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuechu and the demon army: Her silent presence alone suppresses the army, while her spear personally cuts through its ranks.
• Lin Feiyan and Deacon Linghan: Their exchange captures the desperation of the defeated side, with Linghan urging Lin Feiyan to escape before she realizes rescue—or at least survival—has arrived.
• Ji Bochang and the Heavenly Court immortal: Ji Bochang behaves respectfully while privately criticizing the immortal’s deliberate dependence on him. Their conversation exposes Ji Bochang’s boastfulness.
• The immortal and Ji Bochang at the battlefield: The immortal’s calm question about the destroyed army forces Ji Bochang to confront the failure of his assumptions, leaving him at a complete loss just as a mysterious dragon roar signals another major development.

Chapter Summary: “A Stick of Incense?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu suddenly attacks Ji Bochang, a Painting-Realm Great Demon of Cloud-Dream Palace, with her Purple-Gold Spear.
• Ji Bochang catches the spearhead, stopping her attack, but Jiang instantly changes tactics and uses the halted spear’s momentum to launch a powerful whip kick.
• Her kick severely injures Ji Bochang and sends him flying hundreds of zhang, though his Painting-Realm body quickly regenerates.
• Furious and confused, Ji Bochang demands an explanation, then releases his full Painting-Realm power. A massive painted scroll manifests behind him, darkening the sky.
• Xu Ming, a calm Heavenly Court immortal, watches Jiang with admiration rather than hostility. He recognizes her as the rare Chessmaster-Realm cultivator capable of defeating a stronger opponent, noting that she previously killed the Little Heavenly General.
• Xu Ming offers Jiang a chance to avoid punishment: she must survive against Ji Bochang for the time it takes a single incense stick to burn.
• If she succeeds, Xu Ming will recommend her to the Heavenly Court and secure her a Supreme Realm opportunity.
• Xu Ming summons and ignites the incense, then withdraws from the confrontation, leaving Ji Bochang to serve as Jiang’s trial opponent.
• Ji Bochang is enraged that he has been made part of the Heavenly Court’s test after Cloud-Dream Palace has already lost its Little Heavenly General, soldiers, and numerous generals. Nevertheless, he cannot oppose the Heavenly Court.
• The battle is about to begin, with Ji Bochang declaring that Jiang’s attempt to last one incense stick against a Painting-Realm expert is “wishful thinking.”

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu demonstrates exceptional combat instincts, physical strength, and adaptability. When Ji Bochang blocks her spear, she immediately converts the failed thrust into a devastating close-range kick.
• She remains calm and aggressive despite facing two powerful opponents. Her goal is practical: test whether her current strength is sufficient to fight or escape from Painting-Realm experts and continue operating in the Cloud-Dream Realm.
• Ji Bochang is portrayed as powerful but deeply frustrated. Although he is a dignified Painting-Realm general, he is repeatedly placed in humiliating situations: losing his army, being forced to lead Xu Ming, and becoming an unwilling participant in Jiang’s trial.
• Xu Ming appears composed, perceptive, and unusually open-minded. Rather than simply seeking Jiang’s death, he recognizes her talent and offers her a path into the Heavenly Court.
• Xu Ming’s praise suggests that Jiang’s ability to fight across realms is extraordinarily rare, especially in the impoverished Cloud-Dream Realm.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus established power: Jiang’s Chessmaster-Realm cultivation challenges the assumption that realm superiority guarantees victory.
• The Heavenly Court’s recruitment of geniuses: Xu Ming presents the Heavenly Court as an institution willing to forgive even serious offenses if a person possesses exceptional potential.
• Political power and helplessness: Ji Bochang’s anger cannot overcome his fear of the Heavenly Court, emphasizing the organization’s authority over Cloud-Dream Palace.
• Testing through combat: The incense challenge functions as both a death sentence and an opportunity, reflecting the story’s recurring idea that strength and potential must be proven under extreme pressure.
• Adaptability in battle: Jiang’s ability to transform a blocked attack into a stronger maneuver highlights ingenuity as an important form of power.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuechu and Ji Bochang: Their encounter begins with an unexpected attack and quickly becomes a direct test of Jiang’s strength. Ji Bochang underestimates her ability to adapt, while Jiang openly treats him as an opponent whose power she needs to measure.
• Jiang Yuechu and Xu Ming: Xu Ming admires her talent and tries to persuade her not to attack him. Jiang remains suspicious and hostile, recognizing that Xu Ming is still a dangerous Heavenly Court immortal.
• Xu Ming and Ji Bochang: Xu Ming casually imposes the trial on Ji Bochang without consulting him. Ji Bochang is furious but powerless to refuse, revealing the unequal relationship between the Heavenly Court and Cloud-Dream Palace.
• Xu Ming and the Heavenly Court: Xu Ming acts as the institution’s representative, offering Jiang both punishment and opportunity while demonstrating the Heavenly Court’s interest in recruiting extraordinary talents.

Chapter Summary:

Battle Against a Painting-Realm Great Demon

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu attacks Ji Bochang immediately after the scroll unfolds, surrounding herself in black flames and launching countless spear shadows at him.
• Ji Bochang uses his superior perception to identify and seize the spear’s true body, cracking it with his vital current. He angrily confronts Jiang Yuechu for killing the Little Heavenly General and numerous Cloud-Dream Palace demons.
• Ji Bochang invokes the Painting Realm, using a giant brush to manifest the Divine Firmament Supreme Tower from the Jade Capital Dao-Seeking Painting. Hundreds of sword-wielding phantoms emerge and attack Jiang Yuechu.
• In response, Jiang Yuechu spends ten million years of Dao Cultivation through her system and reveals three Heavenly-Grade Dao Chess pieces: the Sword-Holding Toad, the black dragon holding jade, and the Radiant Mysterious Bird.
• Xu Ming recognizes the terrifying significance of the three Heavenly-Grade pieces. He realizes Jiang Yuechu is an extraordinary prodigy and urgently tries to stop the battle, fearing the Heavenly Court’s punishment if she dies.
• Ji Bochang refuses to stop. He reasons that if Jiang Yuechu survives and joins the Heavenly Court, she will eventually have him killed; if she dies, Xu Ming will be forced to conceal the incident to protect himself.
• Ji Bochang escalates the battle by manifesting another structure from the painting and drawing out an ancient sword enveloped in white mist. He prepares to kill Jiang Yuechu with a powerful slash.
• Jiang Yuechu deceives him by leaving behind a phantom and silently appearing behind him. She unleashes a devastating attack that causes Ji Bochang’s body to burst apart completely.
• After killing the Painting-Realm Great Demon, Jiang Yuechu calmly checks her remaining Dao Cultivation and turns her attention to Xu Ming, demanding to know what benefits he can offer her.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu demonstrates that her strength far exceeds her apparent cultivation realm. Her possession of three Heavenly-Grade Dao Chess pieces marks her as an unprecedented genius, and she rapidly adapts to the power of the Painting Realm.
• She becomes increasingly confident and detached, concluding that the supposedly formidable Painting Realm is “nothing more than this” after defeating Ji Bochang.
• Ji Bochang shifts from dismissive confidence to desperation. Though highly skilled and able to manipulate the Painting Realm, his arrogance and murderous intent lead him to miscalculate Jiang Yuechu’s true abilities.
• His strategic thinking becomes ruthless: he decides Jiang Yuechu’s death is preferable to allowing her to become a Heavenly Court-backed enemy. However, this calculation fails completely.
• Xu Ming is revealed to be deeply alarmed by Jiang Yuechu’s potential. His concern is motivated less by compassion than by fear of Heavenly Court repercussions and the consequences of allowing such a rare genius to die.

Significant Themes

• Hidden power and underestimated talent: Jiang Yuechu’s true potential is concealed until she reveals her three Heavenly-Grade Dao Chess pieces.
• The danger of arrogance: Ji Bochang assumes his Painting Realm advantage guarantees victory, but Jiang Yuechu’s superior abilities and deception overturn his expectations.
• Political power and self-preservation: Xu Ming’s reaction shows how Heavenly Court authority shapes individual decisions. Protecting Jiang Yuechu is essential because of her future value and the consequences of her death.
• Life-and-death strategic calculation: Ji Bochang views the battle not merely as combat but as a political gamble. His attempt to eliminate a future threat ultimately leads to his own destruction.
• Power beyond realms: The chapter suggests that cultivation rank alone does not determine battle strength; exceptional innate treasures, techniques, and talent can allow someone to overcome a higher realm.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuechu and Ji Bochang engage in a direct clash fueled by mutual hostility, with Ji Bochang accusing her of indiscriminate killing and Jiang Yuechu answering through overwhelming force.
• Xu Ming attempts to intervene and orders the battle to stop, but Ji Bochang ignores him and continues trying to kill Jiang Yuechu.
• After Ji Bochang’s death, Jiang Yuechu confronts Xu Ming directly. Her demand for compensation or benefits implies that she now holds the advantage and expects him to negotiate rather than oppose her.

Chapter Summary: “The So-Called Immortal Ranks”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Jiang Yuechu defeats the Painting-Realm demon Ji Bochang, Heavenly Court official Xu Ming becomes frightened by her intimidating demeanor and worries that she might attack him.
• Jiang Yuechu’s victory came at an enormous cost. She spent a total of one hundred million years of Dao Cultivation, aided by three Heavenly-Grade Dao Chess pieces, to overcome an opponent far above her realm.
• The battle earns her only slightly more than ten million years of Dao Cultivation, leaving her with a poor return and reinforcing that she cannot casually challenge higher realms.
• Xu Ming tries to recruit Jiang Yuechu into the Heavenly Court, claiming that it governs the Nine Provinces and possesses vastly greater resources and foundations than the lower realms.
• He explains that service and merit can grant access to cultivation resources, powerful positions, and potentially the “Immortal Ranks.”
• Xu Ming describes the Immortal Ranks as genuine offices holding authority over natural laws, such as thunder, weather, seasons, fate, life, and death—not merely honorary titles.
• When Jiang Yuechu asks whether Xu Ming himself holds an Immortal Rank, he becomes embarrassed and evades the question, revealing that he is only a low-level Sky-Patrol Bureau runner and inspector.
• Xu Ming continues promoting the Heavenly Court, emphasizing its resources and the military merit gained by suppressing rebellious demon cultivators.
• Jiang Yuechu shows little interest in official authority, but her attitude changes sharply when Xu Ming mentions dealing with demons.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu gains a clearer understanding of her own combat ability. She realizes that, with enough Dao Cultivation, she can fight across major realms, but doing so is extremely costly and inefficient.
• She becomes more cautious and pragmatic, deciding that she should focus on cultivation and strengthening her Dao Chess pieces rather than wasting resources on unnecessary battles.
• Jiang Yuechu also displays her intelligence by pretending to be interested in the Heavenly Court so she can learn more about its power and structure.
• Her interest shifts dramatically once demon suppression is mentioned, suggesting a strong personal hostility toward demons and a possible desire to use the Heavenly Court for her own purposes.
• Xu Ming is portrayed as fearful, insecure, and somewhat exaggerated in his recruitment pitch. Although he presents the Heavenly Court as glorious and powerful, his inability to enter the Immortal Ranks exposes the lowly nature of his own position.

Significant Themes

• The cost of power: Jiang Yuechu’s overwhelming victory demonstrates that superior strength can be purchased, but at a devastating cost in Dao Cultivation.
• The difference between power and authority: The chapter distinguishes personal cultivation from institutional authority. The Immortal Ranks grant control over natural laws, making them more than simple ranks or titles.
• Ambition versus reality: Xu Ming presents the Heavenly Court as a path to limitless advancement, but his own low status reveals how difficult it is to actually obtain meaningful authority.
• Strategic deception and hidden motives: Jiang Yuechu carefully controls her expression and questions Xu Ming to gather information while concealing her true intentions.
• Conflict with demons: The final shift in Jiang Yuechu’s demeanor establishes demon suppression as a particularly significant and emotionally charged motivation for her.

Character Interactions

• Xu Ming initially treats Jiang Yuechu cautiously, fearing that her feral appearance and overwhelming strength may lead her to attack him.
• Jiang Yuechu uses Xu Ming’s fear to maintain control of the conversation, then invites him to explain the Heavenly Court in detail.
• Xu Ming attempts to impress and recruit her by describing the Heavenly Court’s resources, governance, and powerful offices.
• Jiang Yuechu punctures his grand speech by bluntly asking whether he himself holds an Immortal Rank, exposing the gap between his claims and his actual status.
• Their interaction ends with Xu Ming continuing his sales pitch while Jiang Yuechu quietly becomes intensely interested in the possibility of hunting or suppressing demons.

Chapter Summary: Preparations for Going to the Heavenly Court

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xu Ming tries to persuade Jiang Yuechu to join the Heavenly Court by describing its enormous resources, including immortal scriptures, blessed lands, Grotto-Heavens, and treasures.
• Jiang Yuechu interrupts to ask how many demons the Heavenly Court has to fight. Xu Ming reveals that, in the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the Heavenly Court kills more than a hundred Painting-Realm demons.
• Rather than being frightened, Jiang Yuechu is excited by the prospect of encountering and defeating so many powerful demons. She sees the Heavenly Court as an ideal place to acquire cultivation resources.
• Xu Ming mistakenly assumes her trembling comes from fear and reassures her that, as a peerless genius with three Heavenly-Grade Dao Chess pieces, she would not be forced to perform dangerous demon-hunting missions.
• Jiang Yuechu immediately decides to go to the Heavenly Court, acting as though she has always been a member. However, she insists on settling affairs in the Great Tang first.
• She worries that the Cloud-Dream Palace might retaliate against the Great Tang while she is away, especially since one of its Painting-Realm demons openly ignored Xu Ming’s authority. She therefore chooses caution and plans to strengthen herself before leaving.
• Xu Ming agrees to wait but subtly advises her not to humiliate or antagonize the Cloud-Dream Palace Master, who was appointed by the Heavenly Court.
• Jiang Yuechu returns to Xuan Yuanming, who witnessed her defeat of the Painting-Realm demon. Shocked by the battle, he briefly begins to wonder whether the difference between the Chessmaster and Painting realms is not as great as believed, even imagining overthrowing his own father to seize his Dao Painting.
• Jiang Yuechu interrupts his thoughts and receives the immortal relics and Dao-Union Relics collected from the defeated generals.
• The haul is sufficient for her to reach the Perfected Chessmaster Realm, create more Heavenly-Grade Dao Chess pieces, and improve her immortal art.
• She orders Xuan Yuanming to guard the area, then sits down to cultivate and instructs the system to add points.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu: Reveals her unusual priorities: instead of fearing the Heavenly Court’s dangerous missions, she eagerly looks forward to harvesting resources from powerful demons. Despite her greed for cultivation opportunities, she remains pragmatic and protective of the Great Tang, refusing to leave until its safety is secured. Her confidence grows after defeating a Painting-Realm demon, and she prepares to advance rapidly in cultivation.
• Xu Ming: Initially views Jiang Yuechu as an inexperienced genius who may be frightened by the Heavenly Court’s dangers. He gradually realizes that her reactions are difficult to predict, though he continues treating her with respect because of her extraordinary talent.
• Xuan Yuanming: Is deeply shaken by Jiang Yuechu’s victory over the Painting-Realm demon. Her strength causes him to reconsider established assumptions about cultivation realms, though Jiang Yuechu’s presence quickly suppresses his reckless thoughts.

Significant Themes

• Resource disparity and opportunity: Jiang Yuechu contrasts her difficult efforts to obtain resources in the impoverished Cloud-Dream Realm with the Heavenly Court’s ability to kill countless powerful demons effortlessly.
• Pragmatism over appearances: Jiang Yuechu accepts the Heavenly Court’s invitation not out of loyalty or ambition, but because it offers superior cultivation resources. She also balances this desire with practical concerns about protecting her homeland.
• Power and shifting perspectives: Her defeat of a Painting-Realm demon challenges Xuan Yuanming’s understanding of the cultivation hierarchy and demonstrates how extraordinary talent can overturn conventional expectations.
• Caution amid ambition: Although Jiang Yuechu is eager to grow stronger, she does not act recklessly. She plans around possible retaliation from the Cloud-Dream Palace and seeks to convert her gains into real combat strength first.

Important Character Interactions

• Jiang Yuechu and Xu Ming: Their conversation highlights their contrasting interpretations of the Heavenly Court. Xu Ming emphasizes its prestige and assumes Jiang Yuechu is afraid of its dangers, while she focuses almost entirely on the cultivation resources available through demon hunting.
• Jiang Yuechu and the Cloud-Dream Palace: Though the Palace Master is absent, Jiang Yuechu’s concern over possible retaliation shapes her decision to delay her departure.
• Jiang Yuechu and Xuan Yuanming: Xuan Yuanming reacts with awe and fear after witnessing her victory. She remains composed, collects the spoils, assigns him guard duty, and immediately begins preparing for her next breakthrough.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Yuechu receives an enormous reward of 187,459,322 years of Dao Cultivation, along with a large collection of treasures organized by Xuan Yuanming.
• Among the spoils are six top-grade Dao-Union Relics and more than a hundred lesser relics. Jiang decides to use four of the strongest relics to create new Dao Chess, while reserving the rest to strengthen Great Tang in the future.
• She selects a strange, peony-shaped glove as her next Dao Chess, recognizing that her spear techniques leave her somewhat vulnerable in close combat.
• Using the Central Palace and the Threefold Spirit Transformation, Jiang upgrades the relic from Immortal-Grade to Heavenly-Grade Dao Chess, expending ten million years of cultivation.
• The upgrade advances her from the Twelfth-Piece Chessmaster Realm to the Thirteenth-Piece Realm. Her physical killing power increases dramatically, demonstrated when a casual punch destroys everything within a hundred zhang.
• Jiang prepares to refine the remaining three top-grade relics.
• The narrative then shifts to the Cloud-Dream Palace, where a young man reflects on his former identity as the Cloud Dream Immortal Lord and the humiliating events that caused him to become the Palace Lord under the Heavenly Court.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yuechu displays increased wealth, composure, and strategic foresight. Rather than wasting her treasures on establishing personal influence, she prioritizes strengthening herself and preparing resources for Great Tang’s future enemies.
• Her choice of a glove reveals an effort to address a weakness in her combat style: dependence on her spear and limited close-quarters techniques.
• Her successful advancement to the Thirteenth-Piece Realm confirms her rapidly growing power and reinforces her disciplined approach to cultivation.
• Cloud Dream Immortal Lord/Cloud-Dream Palace Lord is portrayed as a tragic, broken figure. Once proud and unwilling to submit, he was crushed by the Heavenly Court’s overwhelming strength and eventually accepted recruitment, changed his title, and became one of its servants.
• His former master’s submission deeply influenced him, convincing him that resistance was futile. However, his former disciples’ refusal to kneel exposes the moral and emotional cost of his surrender.

Significant Themes

• Power and preparation: Jiang’s actions emphasize the importance of accumulating strength before confronting powerful enemies.
• Adaptation versus integrity: The Cloud-Dream Palace section contrasts survival through submission with maintaining one’s principles, asking whether adapting to overwhelming power is wisdom or betrayal.
• The crushing authority of institutions: The Heavenly Court is depicted as so powerful that even a once-confident immortal realizes his strength is insignificant before it.
• The cost of surrender: Although Cloud Dream survives, abandoning his ideals leaves him alienated from his disciples and spiritually defeated.
• Legacy and influence: The former Immortal Lord’s disciples reflect the ideals he once taught, forcing him to confront how far he has fallen from his own principles.

Character Interactions

• Jiang interacts indirectly with Xuan Yuanming, whose efficient organization of the treasures allows her to assess and use them quickly.
• Jiang’s interaction with the Dao Chess is primarily one of control and refinement: she transforms the relic, absorbs its power, and tests its effects through combat.
• In the Cloud-Dream Palace flashback, the former Immortal Lord interacts with his master, who has already submitted to the Heavenly Court and pleads for his survival. This encounter persuades him to surrender.
• His later meeting with his former disciples becomes a painful confrontation. He tries to convince them to accept the Heavenly Court’s recruitment, but they respond with disbelief and despair, refusing to follow the path he chose. The chapter ends with his anguished realization—“Why... why...”

Chapter Summary: “Dao Sect Confrontation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Cloud-Dream Palace Master reflects on the deaths of his former disciples and convinces himself that abandoning his old loyalties was necessary because he had “understood the times.” He now prioritizes his position and advancement within the Heavenly Court.
• The death of the Little Heavenly General—an illegitimate child connected to powerful Heavenly Court figures—creates pressure for Cloud-Dream Palace Master to provide an explanation. He believes eliminating Jiang Yuechu before she officially joins the Heavenly Court will prevent political consequences.
• Suspecting that Xu Ming of the Sky-Patrol Bureau intends to recruit and protect Jiang Yuechu, Cloud-Dream Palace Master decides she must die before reaching the Heavenly Court. He issues orders summoning his forces, signaling an imminent large-scale confrontation.
• At Jieqing Sect, Deacon Linghan urgently gathers disciples and elders in the sect’s main square. The atmosphere is unusually grim, suggesting a crisis far more serious than the recently concluded Immortal-God Cave Abode expedition.
• Linghan reveals that numerous Painting-Realm Great Demons have appeared at Cloud-Dream Palace and sealed off more than half of Cloud-Dream Realm. Their goal is likely to seize the Dao Painting and kill Jiang Yuechu.
• The sect has repeatedly attempted to contact Jiang Yuechu through her guest elder token, but she has not responded. Linghan fears she may have discarded it and asks Lin Feiyan whether she has another way to reach her.
• Jieqing Sect’s elders debate whether Cloud-Dream Palace is preparing for war against the Nine Great Dao Sects or acting solely to obtain the Dao Painting. They also argue over the sect’s earlier failure to secure Jiang Yuechu more firmly as a guest elder.
• The chapter ends when azure clouds gather and a powerful aura descends, announcing the arrival of the Sect Master and the likely beginning of a major decision or confrontation.

Character Developments

• Cloud-Dream Palace Master: Becomes increasingly ruthless and politically calculating. He suppresses his guilt over past deaths, abandons emotional attachments, and resolves to murder Jiang Yuechu for self-preservation and advancement.
• Jiang Yuechu: Though absent from the chapter, she is established as the central target of Cloud-Dream Palace’s forces because of her immense talent and possession or connection to the Dao Painting.
• Deacon Linghan: Shows genuine concern for Jiang Yuechu and the sect’s safety. His frantic efforts to contact her emphasize his anxiety and sense of responsibility.
• Lin Feiyan: Demonstrates personal concern for Jiang Yuechu despite modestly denying their closeness. Her reaction suggests a stronger bond than she admits.
• Jieqing Sect Elders: Their usually composed demeanor gives way to fear, frustration, and internal disagreement, particularly over the sect’s mishandling of Jiang Yuechu’s recruitment.
• Wuxiang Elder: Acts as the most level-headed elder, discouraging speculation and steering the discussion toward the Sect Master’s judgment.
• Taizhen Elder: Becomes defensive when blamed for failing to secure Jiang Yuechu as a permanent member of the sect.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and self-justification: Cloud-Dream Palace Master reframes his betrayal of his former allies as pragmatic wisdom, revealing how ambition can distort morality.
• Political power and expediency: The fate of individuals is determined by their usefulness to larger powers such as the Heavenly Court and the Dao Sects.
• The cost of neutrality: Jieqing Sect’s earlier reluctance to commit fully to Jiang Yuechu now leaves it unable to protect her effectively.
• Loyalty versus survival: The elders and Cloud-Dream Palace Master represent opposing responses to crisis—protecting allies versus preserving one’s own position.
• The danger of extraordinary talent: Jiang Yuechu’s strength and connection to the Dao Painting make her both valuable and vulnerable, drawing powerful enemies and political forces against her.

Character Interactions

• Cloud-Dream Palace Master internally weighs his former loyalties against his ambition and ultimately chooses ruthless self-preservation.
• Deacon Linghan confides in Lin Feiyan about the danger facing Jiang Yuechu and asks whether she can contact her privately.
• Lin Feiyan and Linghan’s exchange highlights their shared concern, while Lin Feiyan’s denial of closeness contrasts with her evident emotional investment.
• The Jieqing Sect elders argue over whether Cloud-Dream Palace’s mobilization signals open war and blame one another for failing to retain Jiang Yuechu.
• Wuxiang Elder interrupts the dispute and reminds the others to await the Sect Master, whose arrival closes the chapter on a tense note.

The Nine Great Dao Sect masters argued over whether to help Jiang Yuechu against the mobilized Cloud-Dream Palace or demand that she surrender the Dao Painting. As Painting Realm auras sealed off the territory around the palace, Xu Ming sensed that a major battle was imminent.

• The sect masters debated intervening, while the Yuanshan Sect Master pressed Jie Wuya to make Jiang Yuechu hand over the Dao Painting after they helped her.
• The Hundred Flowers Sect Master severed the communication in anger, and Jie Wuya refused to burden the allied sects before cutting off his own connection.
• The Yuanshan Sect Master and Wusang Sect Master secretly agreed to wait until the Cloud-Dream Palace and Jiang Yuechu had weakened each other before acting.
• The Yuanshan Sect Master warned that Lingxu Zi might be a hidden Cloud-Dream Palace pawn but said they should wait for him to reveal a flaw.
• Xu Ming realized that Jiang Yuechu had caused thirteen disturbances involving Heavenly-Grade Dao Chess pieces, then sensed Painting Realm cultivators rise as the Cloud-Dream Palace territory was sealed off.

Chapter Summary: “Open the Mountain, Meet the Enemy”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At Jieqing Sect, Sect Master Jie Wuya gathers the disciples and prepares to announce a grave decision.
• He explains that Jiang, the sect’s guest elder, killed the Little Heavenly General, obtained the Dao Painting, and saved countless disciples, elders, and members of the other Dao Sects inside the Immortal-God Cave Abode.
• Because Cloud-Dream Palace now seeks revenge against Jiang, Jie Wuya declares that Jieqing Sect must stand with her. He argues that, as one of the Nine Great Dao Sects, they cannot abandon someone who acted for the sake of humanity.
• Jie Wuya gives the disciples a choice: those willing to accompany him against Cloud-Dream Palace may stay, while those unwilling may leave and face their own fate.
• Elder Taizhen recognizes the hidden meaning of this statement: if Jie Wuya dies, the Painted World sustaining Jieqing Sect will collapse, meaning the entire sect may perish regardless.
• Despite the overwhelming odds—Jieqing Sect and Hundred Flowers Valley facing the combined power of the Four Cloud-Dream Palaces—not a single disciple retreats.
• Jie Wuya commands the sect to “Open the mountain, meet the enemy,” formally beginning their confrontation with Cloud-Dream Palace.
• Meanwhile, Cloud-Dream Palace assembles a massive demonic army across the skies of the Cloud-Dream Realm. Even Painting Realm experts and the aging Southern Immortal Palace Master are mobilized, indicating the seriousness of the impending conflict.
• Xuan Shiming learns that the Little Heavenly General was killed. He is even more devastated when informed that his only son, Xuan Yuanming, also died inside the Immortal-God Cave Abode.

Character Developments

• Jie Wuya: Initially exhausted and reluctant to force his disciples into a hopeless battle, he nevertheless accepts responsibility and speaks honestly about the danger. His sense of loyalty, justice, and obligation ultimately overcomes his fear and weariness.
• Elder Taizhen: Demonstrates deep understanding of Jie Wuya’s intentions and the consequences of the battle. His concern for both the sect master and the disciples highlights his loyalty.
• The Jieqing Sect disciples: Though shocked and aware that death is likely, they display exceptional resolve. Their refusal to retreat confirms the strength of their Dao hearts and their commitment to the sect’s principles.
• Lin Feiyan: Shows fear and emotional strain, as she has little combat experience, but remains among the disciples who do not leave.
• Xuan Shiming: Introduced as a powerful but inattentive and somewhat complacent Painting Realm general. His detached attitude toward the Little Heavenly General’s death collapses when he learns of his son’s death, revealing a deeply personal stake in the conflict.
• Southern Immortal Palace Master: Acts as the source of crucial information and appears stern and critical toward Xuan Shiming, rebuking his negligence while calmly revealing the extent of the tragedy.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and repayment of kindness: Jieqing Sect chooses to defend Jiang because she saved its members and acted for humanity, emphasizing that genuine gratitude demands action even when the cost is death.
• Duty versus survival: The disciples must choose between preserving themselves and honoring their sect’s principles. Their decision shows that moral duty is valued above personal survival.
• Leadership and sacrifice: Jie Wuya bears the emotional burden of sending his disciples into battle, while also accepting that he may die and take the sect’s Painted World with him.
• Unity against overwhelming power: The chapter contrasts the limited forces willing to resist Cloud-Dream Palace with its enormous demonic army, establishing the battle as an apparently hopeless struggle.
• The personal cost of war: The deaths of the Little Heavenly General and Xuan Yuanming transform a political conflict into a deeply personal tragedy, particularly for Xuan Shiming.

Character Interactions

• Jie Wuya addresses the disciples directly, acknowledging the unfairness of the situation and allowing them to make their own choices.
• Elder Taizhen attempts to speak on Jie Wuya’s behalf but is stopped, as Jie Wuya insists on carrying out his responsibility himself.
• Lin Feiyan and Deacon Linghan share a silent moment of fear and concern amid the gathering disciples.
• Xuan Shiming questions the Southern Immortal Palace Master about the mobilization, only to be criticized for his habitual neglect of palace affairs.
• The palace master then reveals both the Little Heavenly General’s death and Xuan Shiming’s son’s death, causing Xuan Shiming’s composure to break and giving the coming war a personal dimension for him.

Chapter Summary: “Give Cloud-Dream Palace Some Face”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xuan Shiming erupts in anger after learning that his son was killed by a human female cultivator in the Chessmaster Realm. However, his anger fades when he discovers that Ji Bochang, a Painting-Realm Great Demon, has also disappeared and is presumed dead.
• Realizing the female cultivator is far more dangerous than expected, Xuan Shiming abandons any serious plan of revenge. The Southern Immortal Palace Master likewise urges him to avoid genuine danger, and the two privately agree to their familiar strategy: appear active, avoid real effort, retreat when threatened, and feign death if necessary.
• The Cloud-Dream Palace Master notices their insincere behavior and grows increasingly furious. Since the Little Heavenly General has been killed, he fears punishment from higher authorities and resolves to eventually purge the uncooperative demons and monsters under his command.
• He orders Black Abyss to begin a thorough search of the area for the female cultivator, instructing the forces to leave no place unchecked.
• Before the search can properly begin, flying vessels from Hundred Flowers Valley and the Jieqing Sect arrive. Although their intrusion is clearly deliberate, the Cloud-Dream Palace Master orders his forces to ignore them.
• The Hundred Flowers Sect Master and Jie Wuya prepare to confront Cloud-Dream Palace despite knowing their chances of victory are extremely low.
• Their advance is halted by the sudden appearance of a powerful young man who freezes the flying vessels and blocks their path. He calmly insists that the matter has nothing to do with the Dao Sect and asks them to withdraw, saying they should “give Cloud-Dream Palace some face.”

Character Developments

• Xuan Shiming shifts from furious grief to self-preservation. His willingness to abandon revenge reveals his selfish and pragmatic nature, as he treats his dead son as replaceable.
• The Southern Immortal Palace Master is similarly cynical and calculating. Though enraged by the deaths of two sons, he prioritizes survival and openly coordinates a strategy of fake participation and avoidance.
• The Cloud-Dream Palace Master becomes more authoritarian and determined. The Little Heavenly General’s death threatens his position, pushing him to take the crisis seriously and plan to eliminate the unreliable forces under him.
• The Hundred Flowers Sect Master displays confidence, teasing boldness, and hidden warmth toward Jie Wuya. Her refusal to reveal her current realm adds an element of mystery.
• Jie Wuya appears cautious but not cowardly. His concern is less about himself than about keeping pace with the Hundred Flowers Sect Master, suggesting enduring loyalty and familiarity between them.
• The mysterious young man is introduced as an overwhelming but composed power. His gentle appearance contrasts with his ability to immobilize multiple flying vessels and command both sides to stand down.

Significant Themes

• Self-interest versus loyalty: The demons’ willingness to abandon their dead relatives demonstrates the prevalence of self-preservation and political opportunism.
• Bureaucratic and political hypocrisy: Xuan Shiming and the Southern Immortal Palace Master have perfected the art of appearing loyal while avoiding danger, exposing the hollow nature of their alliance.
• Power and intimidation: The young man does not need threats or violence; his effortless suppression of the vessels establishes his dominance.
• Old bonds resurfacing: The playful exchange between the Hundred Flowers Sect Master and Jie Wuya revives the tacit understanding they once shared.
• Responsibility and political pressure: The Cloud-Dream Palace Master’s actions are driven not only by anger but by fear of consequences from higher authorities after the Little Heavenly General’s death.

Character Interactions

• Xuan Shiming and the Southern Immortal Palace Master exchange coded remarks about avoiding combat, revealing their shared cowardice and political cunning.
• The Cloud-Dream Palace Master observes their duplicity but temporarily tolerates it because of the larger crisis.
• Black Abyss acts as the Palace Master’s obedient subordinate, though his hesitation shows that he recognizes the danger of ignoring the Dao Sect.
• The Hundred Flowers Sect Master and Jie Wuya trade teasing remarks about courage and past battles. Their banter reveals a long-standing relationship and renewed mutual trust.
• The chapter ends with the mysterious young man confronting both Dao Sect leaders, politely but unmistakably ordering them to retreat.

Chapter Summary: “What the Hell Are You?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Cloud-Dream Palace Master confronts the Hundred Flowers Sect Master and the Jieqing Sect Master, who are searching for Jiang Yuechu.
• The Hundred Flowers Sect Master mocks him for commanding demons and monsters, provoking his anger.
• Revealing that he has reached the Cinnabar Flow stage of the Painting Realm, the Cloud-Dream Palace Master manifests a vast landscape spanning tens of thousands of miles.
• He transforms a river into a gigantic water sword and overwhelms the two Dao Sect Masters. Their combined azure sword light and sea of flowers are quickly defeated by his painted mountains.
• The Palace Master creates a stone sword from one of the manifested peaks and nearly kills Jie Wuya.
• The Hundred Flowers Sect Master intervenes with barbed vines, restraining his arm long enough for the Dao Sect disciples and elders to flee in search of Jiang Yuechu.
• The Palace Master breaks free almost immediately. Jie Wuya attempts a counterattack but is caught off guard and attacked from behind.
• The Hundred Flowers Sect Master launches a desperate assault to save him, but the Palace Master suppresses her beneath several enormous mountains.
• He offers both sect leaders a chance to submit to Cloud-Dream Palace, but the Hundred Flowers Sect Master rejects him, condemning his alliance with demons and monsters.
• Her defiance awakens painful memories in the Palace Master, who prepares to kill them.
• At that moment, Jiang Yuechu suddenly appears. She transforms the entire battlefield into a realm of black and white, reverses the balance of yin and yang, and forces the Palace Master back.
• Jiang Yuechu arrogantly echoes the Hundred Flowers Sect Master’s challenge: “What the hell are you?”

Character Developments

• Cloud-Dream Palace Master: Demonstrates overwhelming power and mastery of the Painting Realm. Though initially calm and refined, he becomes increasingly ruthless when mocked or resisted. His reaction to the Hundred Flowers Sect Master reveals buried pain and resentment connected to an event involving the Southern Heaven Gate and the deaths of former opponents.
• Hundred Flowers Sect Master: Remains fiercely defiant despite being completely outmatched. Her sarcasm and refusal to submit highlight her courage, loyalty, and stubborn pride. She risks herself to save Jie Wuya and protects the retreating disciples.
• Jie Wuya: Recognizes the hopelessness of the battle but continues fighting alongside the Hundred Flowers Sect Master. His attempt to exploit her restraint of the Palace Master shows tactical awareness, though he is ultimately too slow to defend himself.
• Jiang Yuechu: Makes a dramatic entrance at the climax, revealing a powerful and previously restrained ability. Her control over black-and-white forces and yin-yang reversal suggests that her strength may rival or threaten the Palace Master’s.

Significant Themes

• Defiance against overwhelming power: The Dao Sect Masters refuse to surrender even when victory appears impossible.
• Pride and moral opposition: The Hundred Flowers Sect Master rejects the Palace Master not merely out of stubbornness but because she views his alliance with demons and monsters as fundamentally abhorrent.
• The burden of the past: The Palace Master’s anger is tied to memories of an earlier conflict, suggesting that present violence is rooted in old betrayal, loss, or resentment.
• Power beyond established realms: The chapter emphasizes the terrifying capabilities of the Cinnabar Flow stage before introducing Jiang Yuechu’s even more mysterious transformation.
• Identity and monstrosity: The repeated question—“What the hell are you?”—challenges the Palace Master’s nature and foreshadows questions about Jiang Yuechu’s own identity.

Character Interactions

• The Hundred Flowers Sect Master openly taunts the Cloud-Dream Palace Master, creating the central hostility of the encounter.
• She and Jie Wuya coordinate defensively, combining vines and sword formations to delay him and allow their people to escape.
• Jie Wuya’s worried reaction to her provocations adds a touch of humor while emphasizing their familiarity and teamwork.
• The Palace Master offers them submission, but the Hundred Flowers Sect Master answers with contempt, intensifying the confrontation.
• Jiang Yuechu enters at the critical moment and directly challenges the Palace Master, shifting the balance of power and ending the chapter on a cliffhanger.