Recaps

Li Ling brought the Incense Accumulation Sect into the Heavenly Court, then helped drive back the Netherworld Sect’s incursion into the West Sea. As the Heavenly Court established its foothold and Li Ling developed new incense, a story of Zhao Ziren and his ghost-cultivator family ended with their flight from the constables.

• Li Ling negotiated the Incense Accumulation Sect’s entry into the Heavenly Court, secured broad autonomy and protections, and received the Celestial Resonance Scripture and battle treasures.
• Li Ling accepted his Heavenly Court title, welcomed allied sects, and expanded incense production as the Netherworld Sect began stirring in the West Sea.
• Li Ling investigated the Netherworld Pure Land, killed Immortal Long, seized his treasure ship, and drove back the Netherworld Sect’s attempt to harvest souls.
• Li Ling helped establish the Heavenly Court’s divine authority in the West Sea, but Netherworld Sect attackers destroyed Zhao Bin and his City God administration.
• Li Ling tested improved Returning Soul Incense with Zuo Zhongliang, who led a strike into the Netherworld and killed the ghost immortal Tai Wushi.
• Li Ling used Wish-Binding Incense to cleanse Ghost Dao treasures and discovered that the Dharma-Realm Incense Burner gathered a fragrance of wisdom from human spiritual will.
• Zhao Ziren grew close to Zhao Yuanwai, visited a cultivator market, married Du Shi, and prospered before his son’s deformity and the constables’ investigation raised suspicions.
• A constable attacked Du Shi at Zhao Ziren’s home, but Du Shi revealed that she and Du Juan were ghost cultivators and urged Zhao Ziren to escape with her and Ying'er.

Li Ling exposed and fought the Netherworld Sect’s influence in the West Sea while spreading the Fragrance of Wisdom and organizing a campaign against the Demonic Path. The Mirage Tower’s market fell under Zhao Ziren’s rule, even as Night Watchers uncovered a secret effort to rebuild it.

• Zuo Zhongliang and Feng Jide uncovered the Netherworld Sect’s infiltration of Horsehead Island, and Li Ling backed reforms that created a kingdom-wide Night Watcher force.
• Zhao Ziren fled to the Sea Market with Du Shi and their baby, but Night Watchers killed Du Shi and Hu Laizi killed Zhao Ziren before Chief Steward Jin adopted the child.
• Li Ling restored Yang He’s damaged soul with wisdom incense, and Xiao Changchen reached the Nascent Soul Realm after using the same fragrances.
• Li Ling’s Incense Transmission Assembly drew cultivators and spread the Fragrance of Wisdom, while he exposed Gu Bohou and the impostor disciples who had used fake assemblies to swindle attendees.
• Ye Hengsheng tried to corrupt Li Ling’s followers with visions of the Netherworld, but Li Ling purified the people of Market Ward and defeated Ye Hengsheng and the Netherworld Sect cultivators who hunted him.
• The Heavenly Court sent Hong Tianming to help purge the West Sea, and Li Ling agreed to assist in finding and destroying the Netherworld’s Sea Market.
• Zhao Ziren returned as a Ghost King, secured Ye Family backing, and took control of the damaged Market Ward, while Li Ling’s forces began purging the West Sea’s Demonic Path.
• Night Watchers uncovered the Merchant Association’s dealings with the Demonic Path and later found signs that the Sea King was secretly supplying Zhao Ziren with laborers and materials to rebuild the Mirage Tower.

Zhao Ziren joined Li Ling after Li Ling resurrected Du Shi, then built Nether Mountain into a powerful market. The Incense Accumulation Sect’s campaign against Jade Lang Mountain escalated into a war involving the Netherworld Sect, and the arc ended with Zuo Zhongliang confronting Demon Venerable Youyan as he tried to connect the Nether River to the Blood Sea.

• The Sea King tried to gain favor from both sides, but Zhao Ziren exposed his trap, escaped the Sea Market with Madam Jin, and later defeated the Sea King’s plot with Li Ling’s help.
• Li Ling resurrected Du Shi, and Zhao Ziren pledged to serve him in exchange for refuge for his daughter and help reviving Du Shi.
• Zhao Ziren and Fang Lin took Nether Mountain, built it into a thriving market, and strengthened its position through Fang Lin’s alliance with the White Bone Sect.
• After an assassin targeted Yao Lingxian, evidence led the Incense Accumulation Sect to attack Jade Lang Mountain, and the General Association agreed to support Li Ling’s takeover.
• Jade Lang Mountain allied with the Netherworld Sect, whose forces supplied blood corpses and unorthodox cultivators as the war spread across the West Sea.
• The Vast Dharma Heavenly Lord destroyed Jade Lang Mountain’s defenses, Zhu Tianxiang surrendered to Li Ling, and Xi Yuanlin tried to use Youyan’s blood essence to destroy the mountain’s spirit vein.
• Zuo Zhongliang discovered Demon Venerable Youyan in the blood-filled spring, realized Youyan was using the spirit vein to connect the Nether River to the Blood Sea, and attacked as Youyan summoned Nether Serpents.

Li Ling restored Jade Lang Mountain, confronted the Blood Sea Demon Venerable’s schemes, and prepared the Incense Accumulation Sect for a Netherworld invasion. Shu Changsheng died protecting others in the East Sea war, then was apotheosized, leaving Li Ling uncertain whether the new deity remained himself.

• Zuo Zhongliang used Mystic Heaven’s power to kill Youyan and Senior Brother He, but Xi Yuanlin beheaded him and later transformed into a blood-devouring serpent.
• Vast Dharma Heavenly Lord destroyed Xi Yuanlin’s monstrous form, while Li Ling drew in and helped defeat the Blood Sea Demon Venerable’s avatar, then restored Jade Lang Mountain and reorganized its commerce guild.
• Li Ling resisted the Blood Sea Demon Venerable’s efforts to claim Zuo Zhongliang’s soul and learned that Lin Rouniang might serve as an anchor for Nether Heaven Will.
• Lin Rouniang accepted the Netherworld Secret Record and entered the Transmigration Pool, where a three-eyed immortal resembling her appeared and greeted Li Ling.
• After more than a century of cultivation, Li Ling gave Nie Yingzhi Enlightenment Incense, which enabled him to form a Core, and the sect prepared for its anniversary gathering.
• When the Netherworld Sect invaded the East Sea, Li Ling sent Shu Changsheng and other disciples to reinforce the region, where they distributed Plague-Repelling Incense and helped contain the Corpse Plague.
• Cong Jian and the demonic cultivators attacked Shu Changsheng’s Treasure Ship, and Shu sacrificed himself to protect the survivors by detonating his True Core and Three Treasures.
• Li Ling secured Shu Changsheng’s investiture as a Heavenly Court deity, and Shu awakened as the Phthisis-and-Leprosy True Lord, prompting Li Ling to question whether he was still truly himself.