Chapter Summaries

Jiang Jingnian traveled toward Lin'an amid the demonic calamity, killing a band of Illusory Water Sect practitioners and reassuring Mountain Cloud School members that the threat at Cloudpool Cliff was gone. Meanwhile, Liu Qingzhi’s injury from Flamebane Manor’s hidden attack weakened her, and Lin Mingxin Sect forces pursued the Mountain Cloud School’s elders and protectors; as the attackers charged, Jiang Jingnian faced them with indifference.

• Jiang Jingnian killed more than a dozen Illusory Water Sect practitioners who ambushed him in the woods and reflected that Ren Wuqing was likely preparing something major.
• At River Leaping Tower in West Lu County, Jiang Jingnian met the Mountain Cloud School elders and protectors, told them he had killed the old fiend at Cloudpool Cliff, and said they could return safely.
• Liu Qingzhi suppressed Wind Baleful Intent concealed in Pei Min’s attack, but the resulting imbalance in her [Waterborne Fire] Martial Soul left her unable to fight at full strength for the time being.
• Zhu Wen and allies discussed targeting the Mountain Cloud School, while Sun Xiao revealed that the Black Shadow Sword Pavilion blamed Jiang Jingnian for Pei Dongyan’s death.
• Zhu Qing and Tian Xiangli led Lin Mingxin Sect forces to intercept the Mountain Cloud School party outside West Lu County and ordered an attack.
• As the Lin Mingxin Sect riders charged, Jiang Jingnian glanced at them with indifference.

Jiang Jingnian killed two Lin Mingxin Sect fighters and their followers after they challenged him, revealing himself as a First-Generation Grandmaster. At Southland Lake, Qu Lanlan followed Water Virtue Killing Intent to an island and killed two locals who threatened her, while Jiang Jingnian met Jiang Leer and agreed to cross the lake with her.

• Jiang Jingnian warned the Mountain Cloud School travelers about the dangers on the road, then killed most of Zhu Qing and Tian Xiangli’s party with his Yin-Pole Sword Flame.
• Tian Xiangli challenged Jiang Jingnian, but Jiang Jingnian revealed his Frost Palace Gold domain, killed Tian Xiangli and Zhu Qing, and rode on after gathering the spoils.
• Qu Lanlan detected nearby Water Virtue Killing Intent at Southland Lake and reached an island, where she encountered Fang Qi’s group and Zhu Zhen’s party.
• Two local martial artists tried to drive Qu Lanlan away, and she killed them with an unseen attack, alarming Zhu Zhen, Fang Qi, and the others.
• Jiang Jingnian arrived at Southland Lake and met Jiang Leer, who invited him to cross the lake with her and sent her guards to obtain a sturdy boat.

Jiang Jingnian went to the lake, took the Wushui Ember Lord’s core during a battle over the Stone Demon Body, and struck the demonic grandmaster Du Wuxing before returning to Jiang Leer’s boat. He left with Jiang Leer for Qiantang District to meet her mother.

• Jiang Jingnian declined to discuss the Peace City upheaval with Jiang Leer, then a surge of black water and strange fish appeared in the lake.
• Qu Lanlan fought Fang Qi and his Five Poisons Sect disciples on the island, then abandoned the battle and plunged into the water after sensing someone had arrived.
• Fang Qi uncovered the Stone Demon Body, but Gu Lin and Li Dong arrived with reinforcements and defeated his remaining men.
• Du Wuxing appeared, rescued Fang Qi, and trapped the island in his Blackfire Prison until Chen Junyou intervened.
• The Stone Demon Body vanished, and an unseen attacker struck Du Wuxing into the lake; Jiang Jingnian returned to Jiang Leer’s boat with the Wushui Ember Lord’s core.
• Jiang Jingnian told Jiang Leer the disturbance was just a little clash and asked her to take him to her mother in Qiantang District.