Chapter Summaries

Jiang Yang spent months training Cong Huaijin with an intensive routine, helping her progress to the third level of Qi Refining. After advising her on her cultivation method and directing her to the White Jade Spring for her coming breakthrough, he learned that the Spirit Treasure he had been refining was ready and prepared to leave.

• Jiang Yang decided to put Chu Qingjian's unused resources toward Cong Huaijin and continued studying the Mystic Pupils Art while she worked.
• Jiang Yang tested Cong Huaijin, then assigned her a demanding daily schedule of study, spell practice, and cultivation, replenishing her with Spirit Stones and Elixirs.
• Over four or five months, Cong Huaijin adapted to the routine and advanced to the third level of Qi Refining, returning home every few days to rest and eat.
• Cong Huaijin asked Jiang Yang for guidance before attempting a breakthrough, and he examined her Rain-Washing Clarity Art and answered her questions.
• Jiang Yang advised Cong Huaijin to meditate at the White Jade Spring, then told her to cultivate on her own while he was away.
• Jiang Yang became excited after receiving news that his master had finished refining the Spirit Treasure, and he rose to depart.

Jiang Yang successfully absorbed the two Purple Mansion Spirit Treasures into his eyes with Xuan Guang’s help, forming the Mystic Pupils. He left with his eyes closed to nurture them for eighty-one days, while Cong Huaijin learned that he had emerged from seclusion and set out to visit him.

• Xuan Guang summoned Jiang Yang and prepared the refined Shuoding Manifestation Pupil and Hui Yin Spirit Treasure for the Eye-Dotting Spells.
• Jiang Yang recited the Guiding Incantation as Xuan Guang guided the two treasures into his eyes simultaneously.
• Jiang Yang endured the painful refinement and formed golden double pupils in his left eye and a silver pupil marked with lunar patterns in his right.
• Xuan Guang warned Jiang Yang to keep his eyes closed and nurture the Mystic Pupils for eighty-one days, and Jiang Yang thanked him before leaving.
• Cong Huaijin finished meditating, heard that Jiang Yang had emerged from seclusion, and rode her Jade Pot into the air to visit him.

At a meeting in Cloud-Crowned Hall, Chu Qingjian proposed capturing minor demons to help mine the dangerous Towering Mine Vein and reduce mortal casualties. Zhi Yu allowed her to try, warning her not to venture deep into the Monster Caves.

• Chu Qingjian arrived at Cloud-Crowned Hall for a quarterly meeting with Zhi Yu and the other department heads.
• Xie Lezhi reported that worsening golden baleful intent and fire toxins had made the deeper mine sections deadly to mortals.
• Gao Mingyuan proposed replacing dead laborers with more mortals from Weiyang Prefecture and captured Fur People, and the gathered cultivators approved.
• Chu Qingjian proposed using minor demons from nearby Monster Caves as mine laborers and volunteered to capture them herself.
• Zhi Yu permitted Chu Qingjian to try, but warned her not to venture deep enough to disturb a Demon King.

Zhi Yu reviewed Towering Mine Vein operations, assigned Yu Xiuyuan to recruit and manage rogue cultivators, and ordered harsh punishment for ore smugglers. After Chu Qingjian warned of possible cultivators near the boundary, Zhi Yu decided to alert his master and the Sect Leader, while Jiang Yang continued training Cong Huaijin in a Pupil Art.

• Zhi Yu assigned Yu Xiuyuan to gather rogue cultivators to mine the fire veins and ordered artifact refiners to work nearby.
• Zhi Yu sentenced thirteen ore smugglers to public display and lifelong labor in the A-Class Mine Tunnel.
• After the quarterly review, Chu Qingjian warned Zhi Yu that disturbances near the boundary might involve cultivators, and he decided to write to his master and the Sect Leader.
• Zhi Yu teased Chu Qingjian about seeming lovestruck, and she blushed before quickly leaving.
• Jiang Yang told Cong Huaijin he had to keep his eyes closed for eighty-one days while cultivating a Pupil Art, then began testing her.

After eighty-one days of teaching Cong Huaijin while his Mystic Pupils underwent Containment, Jiang Yang completed the Profound Eyes of Lunar Phases Manifestation and began exploring their powers. He discovered he could see Fushu Peak’s spirit array and activated his right eye to glimpse the Great Void.

• Jiang Yang taught Cong Huaijin cultivation and Spells intensively while remaining in the courtyard during his Mystic Pupils’ Containment.
• Cong Huaijin successfully summoned spirit rain with the Circulating Flow Rain-Praying Art, unaware that Jiang Yang had secretly helped her.
• Jiang Yang’s Containment ended, and he opened his newly completed Mystic Pupils, startling Cong Huaijin with their unusual appearance.
• Jiang Yang restrained the pupils’ power and sent Cong Huaijin to cultivate on her own.
• Jiang Yang examined the spirit vigor and mountain-protecting Grand Formation around Fushu Peak, then activated his right eye and realized he was seeing the Great Void.

Jiang Yang explored the mystic pupils that let him see into the Great Void, then spent months cultivating and helping Cong Huaijin train. Xuan Guang summoned him and sent him to reinforce Hou Zhiyu at the Towering Mine Vein on the border.

• Jiang Yang used his mystic pupils to observe the spirit vigor around Bi Xingjian's Courtyard and tried to spy on Xuan Guang, who caught him and warned him to stop.
• Jiang Yang practiced spells and the sword Dao while teaching Cong Huaijin, who later gave up learning the sword because of her schoolwork and combat training.
• Jiang Yang spent half a year deepening his sword understanding and supporting Cong Huaijin's cultivation while she practiced water arts and sparred with fellow disciples.
• Xuan Guang told Jiang Yang that the Towering Mine Vein needed urgent reinforcements and ordered him to follow Hou Zhiyu's instructions.
• Jiang Yang accepted the assignment and prepared to head to Cuiwei.

Jiang Yang received Xuan Guang’s assignment to travel to the Towering Mine Vein and arranged for Cong Huaijin to be cared for while he was away. After entrusting her to True Person Xuan Yan and Butterfly-Bearing in Cold Creek Valley, he left the Sect and headed north.

• Xuan Guang assigned Jiang Yang to the Towering Mine Vein and assured him the Sect would support him if trouble arose.
• Jiang Yang asked who would care for Cong Huaijin during his journey, and Xuan Guang directed him to entrust her to Senior Brother Bi after his breakthrough.
• Jiang Yang told Cong Huaijin about his departure and brought her to Cold Creek Valley to stay with True Person Xuan Yan.
• Xuan Yan recognized Jiang Yang through Butterfly-Bearing and Chi Yu, thanked him for his elixirs, and promised him a favor.
• Xuan Yan summoned Butterfly-Bearing and told him to spend the next few days with Cong Huaijin.
• After giving Cong Huaijin and Butterfly-Bearing instructions, Jiang Yang left the Sect and headed north.

Jiang Yang reached the outskirts of the Heavy Mountains and encountered two minor demons while resting. After they mistook him for an intruder and begged for mercy, the pig demon invited him to eat blood buns, angering Jiang Yang.

• Jiang Yang traveled north for seven days and reached the New Canal near the Heavy Mountains.
• Jiang Yang crossed the river and rested beneath a tree in the Monster Beast territory.
• A pig demon and a toad spirit found Jiang Yang and demanded to know why he had trespassed on Red Maple Ridge.
• Jiang Yang stopped the two demons from fleeing with his Sword Qi, and they kowtowed and begged him to spare them.
• The pig demon invited Jiang Yang to the king's home for rough wine and blood buns, provoking Jiang Yang.

Jiang Yang reached Red-Mane Cave and questioned its Demon General about the region and the Demon Kings ruling nearby. He learned that Cuiwei lay less than eighty thousand li away and that his route would cross the territories of Guang'e and Mo Yu.

• Jiang Yang learned that the blood buns offered by the little demons were blood essence and suspected they had been made from human victims.
• He made the pig demon and toad spirit lead him to Red-Mane Cave, where he met its Demon General.
• Jiang Yang refused to enter the cave and asked the Demon General how far Cuiwei was and whose territories lay along the route.
• The Demon General said Cuiwei was less than eighty thousand li away and described Guang'e, a Demon Leopard in the early Purple Mansion stage, and Mo Yu, a Mysterious Serpent in the middle stage.
• Jiang Yang asked the Demon General about his own background.

Jiang Yang questioned Red Mane about consuming blood essence and learned that the Demon General had secretly kept Fur People as a reserve source of tribute. Red Mane also told him of strange southern phenomena that might mark the death of an Earth-Virtue Purple Mansion cultivator, and Jiang Yang ordered every subordinate in the cave summoned.

• Red Mane explained his humble origins, and Jiang Yang confronted him over rumors that he consumed blood essence.
• After confirming Red Mane showed no signs of consuming blood essence, Jiang Yang let him lead the way to a fenced enclosure of Fur People.
• Red Mane said he raised the Fur People only as a backup source of blood essence to meet the offerings demanded by his superiors.
• Red Mane told Jiang Yang that white flowers and falling stones had appeared to the south several years earlier, forming a towering peak.
• Jiang Yang suspected the southern phenomena meant an Earth-Virtue Purple Mansion cultivator had died, then ordered Red Mane to summon every demon and subordinate in the cave.

Jiang Yang investigated Red Mane’s dwindling followers, discovered that Chu Qingjian had been taking demons, and killed the ones who had eaten Blood Food. He named Red Mane Zhu Wuhui, who transformed into human form and stopped Jiang Yang with news of something important.

• Red Mane told Jiang Yang that a Golden-Armored figure wielding the Four-Ridged Golden Shears had raided his cave and carried off many lesser demons, and Jiang Yang recognized the figure as Chu Qingjian.
• Jiang Yang scanned the gathered demons and used Sword Qi to kill those who had partaken of Blood Food, sparing the rest.
• Jiang Yang warned Red Mane to keep his followers in line and avoid indulging in blood, then agreed to give him a name if he devoted himself to cultivating virtue.
• Jiang Yang named the pig demon Zhu Wuhui, and the demon transformed into human form after accepting the name.
• Zhu Wuhui called Jiang Yang back, saying he had something important to tell him.

Jiang Yang learned that a phantom Heavenly Palace had fallen in the south, then tested his Azure Silk Profound Light on Zhu Wuhui before flying toward Cuiwei. He arrived safely and was greeted by his eldest senior brother emerging from the Great Void.

• Zhu Wuhui told Jiang Yang that a cluster of palaces had fallen from the sky in the south and vanished on a mountaintop.
• Jiang Yang punished Zhu Wuhui by testing Azure Silk Profound Light, which drained nearly three hundred days of the demon’s lifespan in fifteen breaths.
• Jiang Yang left Zhu Wuhui and flew toward Cuiwei, avoiding the territories of great demons as he traveled.
• Jiang Yang considered investigating the solitary peak in the south but decided to meet his eldest senior brother first.
• Jiang Yang reached Cuiwei, where his eldest senior brother emerged from the Great Void and welcomed him.

Jiang Yang reunited with Zhi Yu at the Ore Vein and learned about the forbidden peak formed after True Person Ping Yan’s death. Zhi Yu warned him of ongoing border raids and ordered him to slaughter the attackers until they feared the sect.

• Zhi Yu welcomed Jiang Yang, who praised the prosperous Ore Vein and discussed the nearby demons and Separation Palace with him.
• Jiang Yang asked about the solitary peak to the south, and Zhi Yu explained that a True Lord of the luan and phoenix lineage had forbidden anyone from approaching it.
• Zhi Yu revealed that the peak had formed when separation fire killed True Person Ping Yan at True Lord Attached Fire’s ceremony.
• Jiang Yang warned Zhi Yu to prepare for unknown True Lord schemes, and Zhi Yu said he was watching the Great Void for signs of trouble.
• Zhi Yu told Jiang Yang that raids along the Ore Vein’s borders were overwhelming the defenders and ordered him to kill the attackers until they were terrified.

Zhi Yu assigned Jiang Yang to help deal with attacks disrupting the Ore Vein, and Zang Yu explained that ambushes had made transporting ore difficult. Jiang Yang proposed carrying smaller loads in Storage Bags, but Zang Yu suggested he did not know what ore primordial matter looked like.

• Zhi Yu told Jiang Yang to handle the Ore Vein's fighting and introduced him to Zang Yu, who would hand over his troublesome duties.
• Jiang Yang and Zang Yu recognized each other from the Sect's Court Examination and exchanged greetings before going to a side hall.
• Zang Yu described how demons harassed routes for recruiting mortals and cultivators ambushed ore shipments, slowing the Ore Vein's operations.
• Jiang Yang asked whether the ore could be divided into smaller loads and carried in Storage Bags, and Zang Yu questioned whether he had seen ore primordial matter.

Jiang Yang learned why Cuiwei’s metal veins were vital to Rain Xiang Mountain and proposed attacking the raiders rather than merely guarding shipments. He began a plan by loading a Flying Boat with Raw Ore and escorting it with few men, leaving Zang Yu worried that Jiang Yang was using himself as bait.

• Zang Yu explained that Cuiwei’s Xin Metal produced spirit materials essential for crafting artifacts and storage bags, and Jiang Yang understood the mine’s importance to Rain Xiang Mountain.
• Zang Yu proposed rotating escorts to protect shipments, but Jiang Yang argued they should strike the raiders to deter further attacks.
• Zang Yu identified the suspected Silt Source Gate and the Zou Immortal Race, while warning that someone might be directing the raids and that the raiders were difficult to pursue.
• Zang Yu described the raiders as groups led by two or three Foundation Establishment cultivators, mostly at the middle or Late Stage, and Jiang Yang declared that their strength made an attack feasible.
• Jiang Yang ordered a Flying Boat loaded with as much Raw Ore as possible and assigned few men to it, then planned to escort it himself.
• Zang Yu questioned whether Jiang Yang’s plan was simply to bait the raiders and risk being overwhelmed.

Jiang Yang refused Zang Yu’s offers of backup and took a loaded Flying Boat toward the Northern Sect, confident he could handle the enemies himself. After five days of watchful travel, he spoke with the female disciples aboard while remaining alert for an ambush.

• Jiang Yang rejected Zang Yu’s request to bring extra cultivators, then demonstrated his sword pressure to reassure him.
• Jiang Yang departed with a Foundation Establishment boatman and twelve Qi Refining disciples aboard the loaded Flying Boat.
• Zang Yu remained worried after the boat left, gave instructions to his junior brother, and hurried after it.
• During five days of travel through a sea of trees, Jiang Yang repeatedly searched the surroundings with his spirit sense and Mystic Pupils.
• Three female disciples approached Jiang Yang after finishing their duties, and he asked Fang Jingyao and Liang Yi about their time at the Towering Mine Vein.

Jiang Yang prepared the disciples aboard the Spirit Boat to defend themselves while he watched for robber cultivators. When the attackers finally approached, he ordered everyone to form the array within ten breaths.

• Jiang Yang learned that Liang Yi, Jingyao, and Qi Anhui were Dawn Rain Peak disciples serving on an assignment, and heard their plans after the garrison ended.
• Jiang Yang told the gathered disciples to practice forming the Spirit Boat's array and leave the attackers to him.
• For three days, Jiang Yang guarded the flying boat and scattered dark clouds with his sword while waiting for an ambush.
• Jiang Yang spotted concealed robber cultivators nearby and let them approach, hoping to prevent any from escaping.
• As the robber cultivators closed in, Jiang Yang sent a message throughout the Spirit Boat ordering the disciples to form the array within ten breaths.

Jiang Yang confronted a band of cultivator raiders attacking the Spirit Boat and swiftly killed Third Brother with a single strike. He pursued the fleeing bandit leader into the clouds while the boat’s disciples fought off the remaining attackers.

• The Spirit Boat’s crew raised its array as the disguised black-robed cultivators approached, then the raiders demanded that they open it.
• Jiang Yang left the array and blocked the black-robed leader, Second Brother, and Third Brother with his Sword Qi.
• Jiang Yang swept his sword at the three Foundation Establishment cultivators and killed Third Brother in a single exchange.
• The disciples recovered from the shock and drove the remaining raiders back, while Second Brother attacked Jiang Yang with Crimson Radiance Melt.
• Jiang Yang gathered and redirected Second Brother’s flames, then pursued the fleeing black-robed leader into the clouds.

Jiang Yang wore down and captured the fleeing black-robed Foundation Establishment cultivator alive, then returned to find Rain Xiang Mountain had defeated the remaining bandits. He praised the disciples, accepted spoils from the fallen enemy, and considered containing the spreading True Fire before it drew a Demon King.

• The black-robed cultivator fled after Third Brother and Second Brother fell, but Jiang Yang drained his true essence with the Kindred Vines Technique and captured him unconscious.
• At the Spirit Boat, the surviving bandits broke and fled after the second leader died, and Rain Xiang Mountain's disciples defeated the attackers who remained.
• Jiang Yang returned to find the Spirit Boat and ore cargo intact, with two disciples lightly injured and Qi Anhui recovering from a serious wound.
• Nan Ling handed Jiang Yang Third Brother's Storage Bag and mid-grade Foundation Establishment Sword, while the True Fire continued burning through the forest.
• Jiang Yang considered extinguishing the flames to prevent them from reaching a thousand miles or drawing a Demon King, while preserving the spirit vigor to create True Fire Spirit Treasures.

Zang Yu arrived after Jiang Yang defeated the cultivators and used his Weak Water to extinguish the forest fire. He and Jiang Yang divided the treasures formed by the blaze, then prepared to interrogate the captured bandit leader.

• Zang Yu bowed to Jiang Yang, praised his abilities, and apologized for having underestimated him.
• Zang Yu used No-Return River to suppress the True Fire while Jiang Yang captured the cloud qi that formed the Mist-Rain Mirage Cloud.
• Zang Yu gathered Thorium Stone Fluff Sand, and he and Jiang Yang divided it after Jiang Yang showed him the spirit cloud he had obtained.
• Jiang Yang and Zang Yu brought the captured bandit leader into the cabin and agreed that Zang Yu would question him while Jiang Yang stood guard.
• Zang Yu removed the vines restraining the scar-faced bandit leader, who slowly regained consciousness.