Chapter Summaries

Yi Yang met Yan Wuyuan at the Azure Jade Marquis Manor and learned that he had been appointed Deputy Chief Inspector of Crossing Peak Stronghold, where powerful factions and experts awaited him. Yan Wuyuan sent him back to his lodgings with instructions to board a carriage if one stopped beside him, and a carriage soon did.

• Yi Yang and Yan Wuyuan discussed their recent cultivation advances, Jiang Yuexin’s progress, and the burdens Yan Wuyuan faced at the manor.
• Yan Wuyuan gave Yi Yang his appointment as Deputy Chief Inspector of Crossing Peak Stronghold and explained why it suited him better than the other strongholds.
• Yan Wuyuan warned Yi Yang that Crossing Peak Stronghold would host twelve Profound Connection Realm experts, including the formidable Deputy Garrison Commissioner Jiang Zhongtian.
• Yan Wuyuan instructed Yi Yang to return to his lodgings and board any carriage that stopped beside him without asking questions.
• Yi Yang left the Azure Jade Marquis Manor, and a carriage soon pulled up beside him.

Yi Yang met Wu Yanluo and Wu Ge, leaders of the Shaman Kingdom delegation, after Yan Wuyuan sent him to assist them. They asked him to escort a merchant caravan to Crossing Peak Stronghold while they traveled in disguise, but Yi Yang refused to agree until they explained the danger behind their plan.

• Yi Yang boarded the carriage Yan Wuyuan had arranged and discovered Wu Yanluo, the Shaman Kingdom girl he had seen at Qingzhou City's gate, was waiting for him.
• Wu Yanluo brought Yi Yang to an inconspicuous courtyard, where he sensed Wu Ge's Profound Connection Realm aura and identified his cultivation.
• Wu Ge explained that the Azure Jade Marquis Manor's Fifth Young Lady had promised to send someone trustworthy to help the delegation.
• Wu Yanluo asked Yi Yang to include the Shaman Kingdom's merchant caravan in his party and travel with it to Crossing Peak Stronghold.
• Wu Yanluo revealed that she and Wu Ge would disguise themselves as merchants and hide among the caravan.
• Yi Yang suspected the plan concealed a greater danger and demanded the full truth before agreeing to help.

Wu Yanluo explained that Shaman Kingdom traitors and anti-trade factions in Qing Province could conspire to destroy the delegation and frame Great Yu, risking renewed war. Yi Yang agreed to escort the caravan to Crossing Peak Stronghold, while Wu Ge doubted his visible forces and Wu Yanluo insisted Yi Yang was more formidable than he seemed.

• Wu Yanluo told Yi Yang that Shaman Kingdom traitors planned to kill the delegation on its return and blame Great Yu, while factions in Qing Province might help them.
• Yi Yang realized Yan Wuyuan had chosen him as a discreet escort because the Azure Jade Marquis Manor could not intervene openly, then agreed to help.
• Wu Ge questioned whether Yi Yang's thirty Pacification Guards and one true astral realm captain could protect the delegation, but Yi Yang kept his profound connection realm strength secret.
• Yi Yang arranged to meet the caravan at the South City Horse Market in three days and ordered Wu Yanluo and Wu Ge to pose as ordinary attendants.
• After Yi Yang left, Wu Ge expressed doubts, but Wu Yanluo told him to trust Yi Yang because he was far more terrifying than he appeared.

Yi Yang led a caravan and disguised Shaman Kingdom companions out of Qingzhou City toward the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains, while officials in the city speculated that he had left early to earn money escorting goods. On the road, Wu Ge began presenting a gift of thanks, but Wu Yanluo offered a different box instead.

• Yi Yang took forty-seven caravan members and thirty-one Pacification Guards southwest from Qingzhou City, accompanied in disguise by Wu Ge and Wu Yanluo.
• At Moon-Gazing Tower, Zhao Nanxing and Xu Zheng guessed that Yi Yang had left early to take a private escort job for money.
• After the caravan traveled a hundred li without being followed, Wu Ge told Yi Yang he had something to say and offered him a wooden box as a gift of thanks.
• Wu Yanluo stopped Wu Ge and held out a smaller, rune-embroidered box to Yi Yang instead.

Yi Yang received a rare body-tempering pill from Wu Yanluo and realized she was likely of imperial blood. Elsewhere, Huang Yi met a woman from the Nine Evil Sect in a blood-soaked cave near Wanfeng County.

• Yi Yang accepted Wu Yanluo's gift and stored the box in his Storage Ring, puzzling Wu Ge with his apparent wealth.
• Yi Yang examined the Dragon-Tiger Form-Changing Body-Strengthening Pill and recognized its exceptional value and effectiveness for body-tempering.
• Yi Yang inferred that Wu Yanluo was likely of imperial blood, then silently acknowledged her understanding of his discovery.
• Huang Yi entered a secluded cave near Wanfeng County with six Shaman Kingdom martial artists and complained about its bloody stench.
• A woman from the Nine Evil Sect emerged and mocked Huang Yi for being unsettled by the cave's grisly scene.

Huang Yi and Ye Hanqian set a trap for Wu Ge and Wu Yanluo in Wanfeng County, using tracking insects to locate Wu Ge as the caravan arrived. Yi Yang noticed the insects and realized an ambush was coming, but Huang Yi declared the prey had entered the cage.

• Huang Yi explained that tracking incense on Wu Ge's robe would let his insects find him, and he and Ye Hanqian planned to attack Wanfeng County town and kill Wu Ge and Wu Yanluo amid the chaos.
• A rider told Wanfeng County that Yi Yang's party would arrive, prompting Patrol Director He Zhenyuan and local dignitaries to prepare a formal welcome and conceal their misconduct.
• Yi Yang entered Wanfeng County with the caravan, while the tracking insects found Wu Ge and flew back without anyone else noticing them.
• Yi Yang detected the insects with his Illusion-Breaking Divine Sense and realized that someone had laid a trap for Wu Ge.
• Huang Yi listened to the insects' return and told Ye Hanqian that the prey had entered the cage.

Yi Yang confronted a Nine Evil Sect assault on Wanfeng County and revealed overwhelming strength against its Incense Master. After Xie Tinglan of the Bamboo Creek Gate intervened, the Incense Master’s true backer remained unrevealed.

• Yi Yang questioned He Zhenyuan about unusual activity in Wanfeng County, but the Patrol Director insisted the area had been peaceful.
• The Nine Evil Sect attacked Wanfeng County’s eastern gate under a late true astral realm Incense Master, who slaughtered defenders and civilians.
• Xu Min led thirty Pacification Guards to protect civilians, but the Incense Master struck him down and buried him beneath rubble.
• Yi Yang confronted the Incense Master, stopped his blood-red saber with two fingers, and shattered it.
• The Incense Master attacked again, and Yi Yang pretended to be weakened before Xie Tinglan of the Bamboo Creek Gate cut in with a sword strike.

Yi Yang killed the Nine Evil Sect incense master at Wanfeng County’s ruined east gate, then pursued three other incense masters who stole the corpse. Ye Hanqian’s apparent rescue was part of an ambush plan, and she led Yi Yang toward Western Suburbs Valley.

• Ye Hanqian, disguised as Xie Tinglan, offered to help Yi Yang defeat the Nine Evil Sect incense master, while secretly planning to lure Yi Yang out of town.
• Yi Yang and Ye Hanqian drove the incense master toward the gate, where Yi Yang killed him with White Tiger Howls at the Moon.
• Yi Yang healed Xu Min and ordered the Pacification Guards to hunt down the remaining sect followers.
• Ye Hanqian activated blood seeds in three concealed incense masters, who attacked the corpse and carried it away while Yi Yang and Ye Hanqian gave chase.
• The three incense masters led Yi Yang and Ye Hanqian along a secluded path into Western Suburbs Valley, drawing them toward the planned ambush.

Yi Yang confronted three Nine Evil Sect Incense Masters in Western Suburbs Valley, then blocked Ye Hanqian’s disguised Profound Connection Realm ambush and exposed her identity. Ye Hanqian revealed her Blood Fiend Maze Formation and ordered the Incense Masters to attack, leaving Yi Yang surrounded.

• The three Nine Evil Sect Incense Masters revealed their true strength and attacked Yi Yang together, but he deflected all three strikes with Mysterious Abyss.
• Ye Hanqian, disguised as Xie Tinglan, attempted to stab Yi Yang from behind with a Profound Connection Realm sword strike, but he countered with Vermilion Bird Burns the Flame.
• Yi Yang identified the disguised attacker as Ye Hanqian and explained that he had recognized the deception because he had met the real Xie Tinglan.
• Ye Hanqian dropped her disguise, revealed her true face and Profound Connection Realm aura, and admitted she had planned to use Yi Yang to lure Wu Ge out of the city.
• Ye Hanqian revealed that she had trapped the valley with a Blood Fiend Maze Formation and ordered the three Incense Masters to attack Yi Yang.

Yi Yang revealed his profound connection realm power and swiftly killed three Nine Evil Sect incense masters. Ye Hanqian absorbed their blood to manifest a regenerating flesh-and-blood body, then attacked Yi Yang with the Yin Extreme Blood Palm.

• Yi Yang used Mysterious Abyss to kill Red Scorpion with one slash and destroy Demon Claw's claw aura with the Profound Intent Calamity-Extinguishing Finger.
• Yi Yang chased down Demon Claw, crushed his head, and killed Shadow Stinger when the assassin ambushed him from the Blood Fiend Maze Formation.
• Ye Hanqian absorbed the three incense masters' blood and transformed into a three-zhang flesh-and-blood monster through Blood Body Manifestation.
• Yi Yang used Azure Dragon Emerges from the Abyss to sever the monster's arm, but it regenerated within two breaths.
• Ye Hanqian's monster attacked Yi Yang with the Yin Extreme Blood Palm.

Yi Yang fought Ye Hanqian’s regenerative Spiritblood Dharma Body, wearing down its blood reserves while searching for a way to reach her hidden true body. After his attempt to break through the monster’s abdominal armor failed, he located Ye Hanqian’s core and prepared to finish the battle with one saber strike.

• Yi Yang dodged Ye Hanqian’s giant palm and repeatedly slashed the flesh monster’s shoulder, slowing its regeneration as it spent its blood-baleful reserves.
• Ye Hanqian released corrosive blood mist and blood tendrils, but Yi Yang resisted their effects and severed the tendrils before continuing his assault.
• Yi Yang blasted a hole in the monster’s head with his Profound Intent Calamity-Extinguishing Finger, but Ye Hanqian’s true body remained protected deep inside its abdomen.
• Yi Yang endured the monster’s crushing fists, tore open its abdominal armor, and tried to thrust his saber toward Ye Hanqian, but blood jets forced him to retreat.
• With his true qi running low, Yi Yang used his Illusion-Breaking divine sense to locate Ye Hanqian’s true body and prepared a decisive saber strike.

Yi Yang used Mysterious Abyss and White Tiger Howls at the Moon to grievously wound Ye Hanqian, but she escaped into the Blood Fiend Maze Formation. A powerful stranger in Black Iron Armor killed her with a spear and then scrutinized Yi Yang, leaving his intentions uncertain.

• Yi Yang awakened Mysterious Abyss’s Spirit Weapon power and struck Ye Hanqian’s transformed body with White Tiger Howls at the Moon, leaving a wound that could not heal.
• The black tiger’s killing intent tore through Ye Hanqian’s flesh and gravely wounded her true body, while Yi Yang exhausted nearly all his true qi.
• Ye Hanqian activated the Blood Fiend Maze Formation and fled through the scarlet mist as Yi Yang paused to recover.
• A powerful stranger leaped into the valley and pierced the formation with silver-white spear radiance, pinning Ye Hanqian to a boulder and killing her.
• The stranger turned his piercing gaze on Yi Yang, who held Mysterious Abyss and could not tell whether the man was friend or foe.

Yi Yang recovered just enough to face Huang Yi after Jiang Zhongtian killed Ye Hanqian and left him to handle the Shaman Kingdom warrior. Yi Yang killed Huang Yi with a final burst of divine sense, then Jiang Zhongtian reappeared and showed faint approval.

• Jiang Zhongtian introduced himself as Yi Yang’s superior, said a Shaman Kingdom warrior was approaching, and disappeared.
• Huang Yi found Ye Hanqian and the Nine Evil Sect Incense Masters dead in the valley, then spotted Yi Yang alive.
• Huang Yi used his barbarian tattoos to strengthen himself and attacked Yi Yang, believing Yi Yang had exhausted his strength.
• Yi Yang unleashed his divine sense to freeze Huang Yi and cut off his head with Mysterious Abyss.
• Jiang Zhongtian returned as Yi Yang nearly collapsed and regarded him with a flicker of approval.

After Yi Yang defeated Huang Yi, Jiang Zhongtian revealed that he had secretly arranged Yi Yang’s mission as an assessment while pursuing Tuhe, the Shaman Kingdom’s true plotter. Yi Yang passed, and Jiang rewarded him with the Heart Ape Mind Guarding Art · Dynamic Image Chapter.

• Jiang Zhongtian questioned Yi Yang about his divine sense, and Yi Yang concealed his Illusion-Breaking Realm by claiming Self-Observation Realm perfection.
• Jiang Zhongtian gave Yi Yang a powerful recovery pill, then revealed Tuhe’s head and explained that the Profound Transformation Shaman Priest had plotted to frame Great Yu’s Heaven Patrol Office.
• Jiang Zhongtian admitted he had secretly handled the threat and arranged Yi Yang’s escort assignment through Yan Wuyuan as a test requested by Lu Quanan.
• Jiang Zhongtian judged that Yi Yang had passed after killing Ye Hanqian and Huang Yi, then rewarded him with the Heart Ape Mind Guarding Art · Dynamic Image Chapter.

Yi Yang received the Moving Image Chapter of the Heart Ape Mind Guarding Art from Jiang Zhongtian and was ordered to continue escorting Wu Ge and the Shaman Kingdom girl to Crossing Peak Stronghold. After Jiang Zhongtian left, Yi Yang looted the fallen enemies, finding valuable supplies and a sinister blood-red box he sealed away.

• Jiang Zhongtian explained that he and Lu Quanan had each taken one chapter of the Heart Ape Mind Guarding Art, and gave Yi Yang the Moving Image Chapter.
• Jiang Zhongtian ordered Yi Yang to escort Wu Ge and the Shaman Kingdom girl to Crossing Peak Stronghold, promised him a commendation for killing Ye Hanqian and Huang Yi, and warned him to build up his own force there.
• Yi Yang searched Huang Yi's corpse and collected spirit crystals, Shaman secret medicine, a Command Token, and a treasure-artifact saber.
• Yi Yang searched Ye Hanqian's pouch, took her spirit crystals, True Essence Pills, and Thousand Illusions Mask manual, then found and sealed away a corrupting blood-red box.
• Yi Yang looted the three Nine Evil Sect Incense Masters and set off toward Wanfeng County's city to resume the journey.

After Yi Yang returned from the battle, he discovered Jiang Zhongtian had secretly killed six Shaman Kingdom guards watching Wu Ge’s residence, leading Wu Ge to realize Yi Yang had hidden profound connection realm strength. Back in his room, Yi Yang took Wu Yanluo’s Dragon-Tiger Form-Changing Body-Strengthening Pill and began a dramatic breakthrough in the Martial Extreme Dragon Elephant Body.

• Yi Yang learned Wu Ge had sensed only a brief disturbance because Jiang Zhongtian had concealed the valley’s powerful auras.
• Xu Min reported six Shaman Kingdom guards dead around the residence, and Yi Yang identified Jiang Zhongtian as the likely killer and ordered tighter patrols.
• Wu Ge inspected the bodies, then realized Yi Yang might have killed the six guards and possessed strength beyond the late true astral realm.
• Yi Yang reviewed his battles, judged his body-tempering art insufficient against manifestation-level opponents, and swallowed Wu Yanluo’s secret imperial pill.
• The pill’s medicinal energy surged through Yi Yang’s body as he circulated the Martial Extreme Dragon Elephant Body and its progress began to climb rapidly.

Yi Yang completed the Martial Extreme Dragon Elephant Body and left Wanfeng County with the escort caravan for Crossing Peak Stronghold. After receiving Yan Wuyuan’s letter and taking stock of his spoils, he arrived at the stronghold and discovered that its gate plaque carried dangerous saber intent.

• Yi Yang advanced the Martial Extreme Dragon Elephant Body to Perfection, gaining immense physical strength, golden blood, and rapid healing.
• Yi Yang departed Wanfeng County with Wu Ge, Wu Yanluo, Xu Min, and the Pacification Guards while local officials and merchants watched in fear.
• A gray falcon delivered Yan Wuyuan’s letter, which warned Yi Yang about the competition at Crossing Peak Stronghold and relayed that Yuexin was doing well.
• Yi Yang counted his spirit crystals and spoils, then told Wu Yanluo he would not visit the Shaman Kingdom because he had business at Crossing Peak.
• The caravan reached Crossing Peak Stronghold, where Yi Yang recognized that the saber-written gate plaque contained martial intent powerful enough to endanger cultivators.

At Crossing Peak Stronghold, Mu Yanluo revealed her imperial family name and gave Yi Yang a map to spirit medicines as an investment in his potential. Yi Yang settled his guards in a rented courtyard and opened the booklet she had given him.

• Mu Yanluo told Yi Yang her real name and gave him a scroll as payment for escorting her, then left with Wu Ge.
• Mu Yanluo explained that the scroll mapped a place where spirit medicines grew and that she hoped Yi Yang would become a powerful ally for the Shaman Kingdom.
• Yi Yang led his group into Crossing Peak Stronghold, where Patrol Guard Chen said their accommodations would not be ready until the other contingents arrived.
• Yi Yang rented a three-courtyard residence for one thousand taels and settled his thirty-odd Pacification Guards inside.
• Yi Yang secured his room, took a yellowed booklet from his Storage Ring, and read its title: Heart Ape Mind Guarding Art: Moving Image Chapter.

While studying the Heart Ape Mind Guarding Art, Yi Yang was drawn into a dark underwater realm and fought a powerful one-horned giant fish. He awoke in his room at Crossing Peak Stronghold, where a drop of golden liquid had appeared on the Mysterious Abyss Saber.

• Yi Yang studied the Moving Image Chapter of the Heart Ape Mind Guarding Art, then collapsed as the Mysterious Abyss Black Blade began to glow faintly.
• Yi Yang awoke in boundless dark water and descended, finding his strength intact but his divine sense severely suppressed.
• A Profound Awakening one-horned giant fish ambushed Yi Yang, attacked him with its armored body and freezing breath, and pierced his chest with its horn.
• Yi Yang clamped onto the fish's horn and battered its eye until it died, then saw two enormous golden eyes rise from the abyss.
• Yi Yang awoke in his room at Crossing Peak Stronghold and found a grain-sized drop of golden liquid on the hilt of the Mysterious Abyss Saber.

Yi Yang learned that Mysterious Abyss drew on the sealed Ink Abyss Marsh and forced him to slay evil thoughts whenever he used its power, while the golden Waterside Spirit Drop was a reward from the marsh. After Xu Min reported on Crossing Peak Stronghold’s powerful residents, Yi Yang focused on Lu Qinglan and wondered why she had come there.

• Yi Yang examined the golden liquid on Mysterious Abyss, sealed it in a jade bottle, and probed the saber with his Divine Sense.
• Mysterious Abyss’s mental intent revealed that the blade contained Abyss Ink from Ink Abyss Marsh, and using its power forced Yi Yang to fight evil thoughts there before returning.
• Yi Yang learned that the golden drop was a Waterside Spirit Drop and that Mysterious Abyss could grow stronger if he slew more evil thoughts.
• Xu Min told Yi Yang that Crossing Peak Stronghold had twelve Profound Connection Realm experts, including Jiang Zhongtian and the formidable veteran Lu Zui.
• Xu Min said Lu Qinglan was Lu Zui’s granddaughter, had defeated powerful young fighters in Qingzhou City, and had declared that only someone who beat her could marry her.
• Yi Yang wondered why Lu Qinglan, whose strength neared the Profound Connection Realm, had come to Crossing Peak Stronghold.