Chapter Summaries

Luo Bin was nearly dragged into the crack by the Tomb Guardian, but Gu Yiren’s Moon-Shaped Stone and the Moss Eaters helped free him. A six-thread golden silkworm gu then emerged from the severed arm and burrowed into Luo Bin, taking control of his body as he walked forward.

• Luo Bin tried to resist the Tomb Guardian’s pull and play the Miao King's Ocarina, but his two-refined thread gu fed on his flesh and he could only blow one note.
• Gu Yiren threw the bloodied Moon-Shaped Stone into the Tomb Passage, after which the Blackblood Vine, Grudge Infant Moss Eaters, Heart-Rending Hell Warden, and prison ghosts pulled Luo Bin away from the crack and attacked the arms.
• The Tomb Guardian fell still, and the Moss Eaters gnawed the two arms down to exposed bone.
• A plump golden silkworm gu with six golden rings emerged from the severed arm and dissolved the Moss Eaters with its venomous silk.
• The six-thread golden silkworm gu sprang onto Luo Bin’s forehead, burrowed into his flesh, and forced him to walk forward under its control.

Gu Shanhong’s Yin Spirit was sealed by Mao Yousan and the group pressed deeper into the tomb, while Yuan Tianshu tried to pull Luo Bin from a crack. The Tomb Guardian attacked Gu Yiren and followed Luo Bin and Yuan Tianshu inside, as Fourth Master Gray joined them and Mao Yousan rushed toward the disturbance.

• Gu Shanhong opened the stone door after Luo Xianshen’s High Heaven Pestle battered it, then accused Qin Tianqing and Bai Wei of breaking the Sacred Way Mountain Seal.
• Mao Yousan rang the Calling Bell and sent the Five Dao Corpses to overwhelm and seal Gu Shanhong’s Yin Spirit.
• Yuan Tianshu pulled at Luo Bin, who was being dragged into a crack by the six-transformation Gu Silkworm Gold, while Fourth Master Gray took the Bone-Nailing Crane and Hanging Turtle Mirror.
• The Tomb Guardian shoved Gu Yiren aside and moved toward the crack as Yuan Tianshu and Luo Bin were pulled inside; Fourth Master Gray followed them.
• Mao Yousan hurried toward the deepest burial chamber after hearing a roar, while Qin Tianqing feared Luo Bin had begun fighting Yuan Tianshu.

Luo Bin and Yuan Tianshu were drawn into a hidden mountain fissure by a Gu Corpse as something dangerous gathered near the stone coffin. After regaining control, Luo Bin found Qian Feng’s corpse and suspected it was a Miao King that had become a Divine Cave.

• The Gu Corpse controlled Luo Bin, Yuan Tianshu, and the Tomb Guardian as it led them past ranks of motionless Tomb-Guarding Yong toward a stone coffin venting purplish-black smoke.
• The Gu Corpse brought them into a concealed fissure, where unusual Gu Worms covered the entrance and Luo Bin regained control of his body.
• Yuan Tianshu warned Luo Bin that something fierce was about to break through the sealing restraints and that the Gu Corpse had hidden them from danger.
• Fourth Master Gray told Luo Bin that Qin Tianqing, Bai Wei, and others had died, Little Yi Ren’s fate was unknown, and someone else had entered.
• Luo Bin found Qian Feng’s corpse sitting inside the fissure with a Golden Silkworm Gu between its brows and suspected it was a Miao King transformed into a Divine Cave.

Luo Bin realized the sealing wards were failing and that the being in the coffin could soon escape, but Yuan Tianshu refused to act. With Sacred Way Mountain facing ruin, Luo Bin turned to the surviving six-thread golden silkworm Gu and considered inviting the Cave God to possess him.

• Luo Bin noticed the Gu-infested corpses might have released Thread Gu while seeking help, and wondered why a Miao King had died inside the branch grounds.
• Luo Bin saw purple-black vapor pouring from the coffin and learned from Yuan Tianshu that Sacred Way Mountain was finished and Yuan Yinxin was absent.
• Luo Bin concluded Yuan Tianshu had genuinely wanted to maintain the sealing ward, despite his ruthless methods and desire to avoid sacrificing himself.
• Luo Bin urged Yuan Tianshu to help stop the coffin’s occupant, but Yuan Tianshu stayed silent and said that Yuan Yinxin might still have one method.
• Luo Bin approached the Miao King Corpse and considered whether its surviving six-thread golden silkworm Gu could let him invite the Cave God to possess him.

Zhou Sanming fled the heavenly thunder, possessed a Heavenly Mechanism practitioner, and was consumed by Qin Que after his subsidiary soul reunited with him. Meanwhile, Yi led the Shamanesses and Spirit Mediums toward Yuan Yinxin’s lair on Cabinet Mountain, where they turned riverbank onlookers into Two-Legged Sheep and reached a guarded passage into the ritual domain.

• Zhou Sanming fled through the forest and possessed an unusually accommodating Heavenly Mechanism practitioner, then rang his Calling Bell to summon his subsidiary soul.
• Qin Que appeared behind Zhou Sanming, merged the subsidiary soul with him, and devoured his Yin Spirit before dragging him into a concealed hole.
• The Yellow Father Ghost searched the area but found no trace of Zhou Sanming or Qin Que and vanished into black mist.
• Yi led the Shamanesses and escaped Spirit Mediums toward Yuan Yinxin’s lair, hoping to take refuge and gain something from Cabinet Mountain.
• Yi’s Witches transformed people gathered by a river into Two-Legged Sheep, and the group reached a bridge and wall passage leading into Mountain Cabinet’s ritual domain.

Yuan Yinxin prepared Cabinet Mountain Taoist Grounds to face Yi Yi and the other Spirit Mediums, while Luo Xianshen and Mao Yousan searched the tomb chamber for Luo Bin. The chapter ended with Luo Xianshen revealing another powerful magical artifact, leaving Bai Wei stunned by his apparent wealth and status.

• Yuan Yinxin fed Emotion Flower Fruit to Gua Kuo and ordered the Cabinet Mountain disciples to form their formation and let the Spirit Mediums enter.
• Yuan Yinxin reasoned that Yi Yi's group lacked an infant to summon the Death-Prison Yama Ghost and planned to use the Spirit Turtle to unite the disciples' fate.
• In the tomb chamber, Gu Yiren warned Mao Yousan to put out the lamp and explained Gu Shanhong's intentions and the risks of lighting it.
• Bai Wei sensed that the Gray family's fourth boy, Luo Bin, and Yuan Tianshu had gone through the cracked door, while Luo Xianshen noticed hands resting against the chamber walls.
• Gu Yiren offered to become the sealing talisman, but Heaven-Dumping Qin asked Mao Yousan to reconsider, and Mao Yousan relented.
• Luo Xianshen put away his tricks and took out a bronze-faced mirror, prompting Bai Wei to wonder how he had acquired so many powerful artifacts.

Luo Xianshen, Bai Wei, and the others investigated the sealed chamber and discovered signs of a Corpse-Liberation Immortal. Meanwhile, Yuan Tianshu explained the process to Luo Bin before accusing him of returning to Mountain Cabinet on someone else's orders and threatening him with lethal force.

• Luo Xianshen used the Four-Rules Mirror to see Tomb-Guarding Yong and dangerous corpse-liberation aura inside the sealed chamber, while Gu Yiren extinguished the lamps.
• Bai Wei identified the presence of a Corpse-Liberation Immortal and warned that Luo Xianshen lacked knowledge of the subject.
• Yuan Tianshu told Luo Bin that the Miao King’s soul was gone and explained that true corpse liberation required the soul to project from the body and return after more than two sixty-year cycles.
• Yuan Tianshu said the being outside was a successfully awakened Corpse-Liberation Immortal who had lost his mind.
• Yuan Tianshu demanded to know who had sent Luo Bin back to Mountain Cabinet and revealed a fierce intent to kill him if he lied.

Luo Bin and Yuan Tianshu confronted the mystery of the sealed coffin and the six-thread golden silkworm gu. After discovering that the gu had devoured a five-thread golden silkworm gu from the Miao King Corpse, they realized another Miao King might be imprisoned there and calling for help.

• Luo Bin explained to Yuan Tianshu that he had not been sent to destroy the seal and argued that they should try to seal the coffin.
• The six-thread golden silkworm gu leapt onto Luo Bin, and he noticed a wound on the Miao King Corpse's forehead where its golden silkworm gu had been devoured.
• Yuan Tianshu pinned the six-thread golden silkworm gu with Crane-Bone Nails, while Luo Bin pulled the shriveled remains of a five-thread golden silkworm gu from the corpse.
• The six-thread golden silkworm gu began dissolving the Crane-Bone Nails as the Tomb Guardian mechanically called for help.
• Luo Bin concluded that the Tomb Guardian's plea might come from the master of the six-thread golden silkworm gu, possibly a second Miao King.

Bai Wei explained the difference between true Yin Spirit Projection and false spirits, while Qin Tianqing warned that a more dangerous entity might be sealed behind the chamber’s door. As the group prepared to rescue Luo Bin without disturbing the seal, Yi Gu suddenly fled down the passage.

• Bai Wei explained that true Corpse Liberation required a spirit to watch over its body for over a hundred years before returning to it, while other supposed Yin Spirits were false or clear-spirit ghosts.
• Bai Wei said the trapped being was a failed Corpse-Liberation Immortal who wanted to escape, and Qin Tianqing suspected the witchcraft and Gu curses were searching for someone and that the sealed entity might be separate from the immortal.
• Qin Tianqing urged Bai Wei to send his Immortal Creatures to retrieve Luo Bin while Mao Yousan and Luo Xianshen held back the immortal and preserved the seal.
• Mao Yousan asked Bai Wei to give the Corpse Core in his belly to the three-tailed fox immortal, saying the group needed greater protection.
• Yi Gu cried out, turned, and ran into the dark passage, drawing startled looks from Mao Yousan and Qin Tianqing.

Luo Bin and Yuan Tianshu watched a Corpse-Liberation Immortal emerge from its coffin and head toward the tomb passage while they searched for a way to understand and stop it. At the tomb gate, the seal began to strain as Qin Tianqing uncovered a buried stele warning that the Black Miao’s evil threatened the Three Miao and ordering Sacred Way Mountain’s disciples to guard the gate with their lives.

• Bai Wei’s Gray Immortal failed to pass through the sealed stone gate, so Mao Yousan ordered Luo Xianshen to chant at it and prepare for the seal to loosen.
• The six-thread golden silkworm gu killed the Tomb Guardian’s five-thread golden silkworm gu, freeing Luo Bin and Yuan Tianshu from its control.
• Luo Bin and Yuan Tianshu saw the coffin open and a Corpse-Liberation Immortal emerge, then watched it move toward the tomb passage surrounded by Tomb-Guarding Yong.
• As the Corpse-Liberation Immortal approached the gate, Luo Xianshen’s chanting made the stone gate tremble and hands push through its cracks.
• Qin Tianqing found a partly buried stele and read its warning that Sacred Way Mountain’s branch disciples must guard the tomb gate against the Black Miao’s evil, even at the cost of their lives.

Luo Xianshen was nearly overwhelmed by the Corpse-Liberation Immortal’s smoke at the sealed gate, but a mysterious presence took hold of him and suppressed the threat. He then addressed Heaven-Dumping Qin and demanded to see his Heavenly Secrets Jade Slip.

• Qin Tianqing discovered a sealing stele and warned that the Three Miao and Black Miao were connected to the danger surrounding Luo Xianshen.
• Luo Xianshen wedged the Four-Rules Mirror, High Heaven Sword, and High Heaven Pestle into the gate’s cracks, but the Corpse-Liberation Immortal’s smoke drained his vitality and began pulling out his soul.
• As the gate opened and the seals faltered, Luo Xianshen withdrew, sat down, and chanted; a mysterious presence spoke through him and ordered Mao Yousan to close the gate.
• The Five Dao Corpses shut the gate, and Luo Xianshen’s incantations drove back the smoke, silenced the scratching hands, and extinguished the phosphorus flames.
• Luo Xianshen identified Qin Tianqing as Qin Tianji, whose disciples nearly knelt before him, then asked to see his Heavenly Secrets Jade Slip.

Luo Bin and Yuan Tianshu fled the Immortal-Liberation Corpse with the Five Immortals, but the Chief Seat Deity suddenly took control of Luo Bin and drove Yuan Tianshu’s yin spirit from his body. Luo Bin was forced onward toward Thousand Miao Village as the pursuing corpse drew close.

• The Five Immortals found Luo Bin and warned that a powerful expert and his master had come to retrieve him, while the Immortal-Liberation Corpse pursued them.
• Luo Bin told Yuan Tianshu that the Immortal-Liberation Corpse was behind them, and they hurried after the Gu Corpse and Tomb Guardian.
• The Chief Seat Deity seized control of Luo Bin and attacked Yuan Tianshu, forcing his yin spirit to flee and leaving his puppet body behind.
• The thread gu took control of Luo Bin again, and he saw Thousand Miao Village ahead as the Immortal-Liberation Corpse closed in.

Luo Bin reached a sealed building in the dark Miao Village, where the Corpse Immortals helped remove the Thread Gu from his body and Third Master Hu possessed him through a powerful talisman. As Luo Bin faced the Gu-filled building, lamps lit throughout the village and silent figures appeared at every window while the Tomb Guardian kept repeating, “Save me.”

• The Tomb Guardian and Gu Corpse led Luo Bin through the deserted Miao Village to a gray-brick building, where the Tomb Guardian repeated, “Save me.”
• The White Immortal Lady and the other Corpse Immortals forced the Thread Gu out of Luo Bin, and it burrowed into the Gu Corpse.
• Luo Bin found a Spirit-Inviting Talisman bearing Third Master Hu’s power, and Third Master Hu possessed him with effortless control of his movements.
• Grand Master Huang Er kicked open the building’s door, revealing vats and a mass of Gu Worms that could not cross the threshold.
• Third Master Hu cursed the Six-Thread Golden Silkworm Gu as Luo Bin held his ground, and lamps lit throughout the village as figures appeared at every window.

Luo Bin was recognized by the people of Three Miao Village as their long-awaited Miao King after his Gu Worms revealed themselves. Miao Zhi and the villagers welcomed him, but their questions about the White Miao, the Black Miao, and a Corpse-Liberation Immortal left him with much to learn.

• Luo Bin faced Miao Zhi, Song Dan, and Miao Shan as his Gu Worms surged out and the Golden Silkworm Gu returned to his brow.
• Miao Zhi, Song Dan, and Miao Shan knelt and hailed Luo Bin as the Miao King, prompting the crowd to kneel as well.
• Miao Zhi rejoiced that Three Miao Village had finally found hope, while Third Master Hu jokingly prompted the elders to kowtow.
• Luo Bin stopped the villagers from kowtowing and asked them to rise, explaining that Third Master Hu had been joking.
• Miao Zhi asked Luo Bin about the White Miao branch lineage, the reception, and the awakening Corpse-Liberation Immortal, but Luo Bin could not answer.
• Song Dan suggested they continue the conversation in the ancestral elders' courtyard, and Miao Zhi led Luo Bin there.

Luo Bin revealed that he had not come to escort the White Miao out, and learned why Three Miao Village had waited for a branch from Three Perils Mountain. The sacrificial priest offered one last hope: restore the White Miao King's soul so he could try to break out of his cocoon again.

• Luo Bin sealed the courtyard and confirmed that Three Perils Mountain was a branch of Three Miao Village through the Miao King's Ocarina.
• Luo Bin told Miao Zhi, Song Dan, and Miao Shan that no Corpse-Liberation Immortal had sent him and explained that the Six-Thread Golden Silkworm Gu and Gu Corpse had led him there.
• Miao Zhi collapsed in despair, and Third Master Hu urged the villagers to deal with the threat outside while Luo Bin learned the truth.
• Miao Shan explained that the Black Miao had besieged the White Miao, whose last hope was a branch that could produce a Miao King and return to rescue them.
• Song Dan seized Luo Bin's wrist and proposed gathering the White Miao King's soul back into his body so he could attempt to break out of his cocoon again.

Luo Bin agreed to try to reunite the White Miao King's soul with his Corpse-Liberation Immortal body, while his exhaustion finally overcame him. In the tomb chamber, Luo Xianshen finished destroying and recarving the Heavenly Mechanism Jade Slip, then spoke of seeing a descendant of an old acquaintance.

• Luo Bin decided to help the White Miao reunite their king's soul with his body, and Miao Shan, Miao Ji, and Miao Zhi began preparing for the attempt.
• Third Master Hu and the other House Immortals discussed Luo Bin's chance to advance his Gu Arts, but Luo Bin said he would help his people regardless of reward.
• Luo Bin's strength gave out, and he collapsed into bed as three Miao maidens entered to tend to him.
• In the tomb chamber, Luo Xianshen erased the Heavenly Mechanism Taoist Grounds' inscriptions from the Heavenly Mechanism Jade Slip and carved it with a bronze sword while the disciples watched.
• Luo Xianshen finished carving the jade slip, looked at Qin Tianqing, and remarked that he had seen a descendant of an old acquaintance.

A Yang Spirit possessing Luo Xianshen gave Qin Tianqing a Heavenly Mechanism Jade Slip and urged the Heavenly Mechanism Taoist Grounds to reclaim their original Mountain Gate. As the group prepared to investigate the sealed tomb and its other Corpse-Liberation Immortals, Mao Yousan offered Qin Tianqing a deal and ordered a Yi Gu woman brought back.

• The Yang Spirit told Qin Tianqing to return to the Heavenly Mechanism Taoist Grounds’ former Mountain Gate and gave him a Yang Spirit Ritual Artifact, the Heavenly Mechanism Jade Slip.
• After the Yang Spirit left Luo Xianshen meditating, Qin Tianqing resolved to face the diviners’ fate and wait for Luo Xianshen to emerge.
• Mao Yousan found the Four-Rules Mirror had been forced back and warned that more Corpse-Liberation Immortals were sealed behind the tomb door.
• Qin Tianqing proposed digging out a stele and using the disturbance to send someone inside, while Mao Yousan offered to resolve the grounds’ troubles in exchange for Qin Tianqing’s service; Qin Tianqing refused.
• Mao Yousan ordered a corpse Taoist to bring back the Yi Gu woman, then asked who would enter the tomb as he prepared to act.

Luo Bin woke to find the Three Miao Village preparing to support him as the Miao King. Miao Shan brought medicines and explained the preparations for a ritual to awaken the White Miao King, then asked Luo Bin to provide hair, nails, and skin and perform Borrowing the Mountain's Life.

• Luo Bin woke refreshed in the Courtyard, where the Five Corpse Immortals were eating and three women waited to serve him.
• The three women insisted that the Village Chief had ordered them to care for Luo Bin, and they explained that the Miao King was their hope of escaping the Black Miao.
• Miao Shan arrived with a dozen attendants carrying medicines intended to strengthen Luo Bin's body and improve his compatibility with Gu Worms.
• Miao Shan said Song Dan was preparing the ritual and the Guzang Head was fetching medicines for Soul Nourishment and Gu cultivation.
• Miao Shan asked Luo Bin for his hair, nails, and hand skin and told him to perform Borrowing the Mountain's Life.

Luo Bin prepared to borrow mountain life and followed Miao Xi through Three Miao Village, where her excitement about the world beyond the mountains reminded him that the Black Miao remained a threat. When he saw signs that Miao Xi faced imminent danger, he tried to intervene, but Miao Qi attacked and unleashed his Gu insects.

• Luo Bin gave hair, nail clippings, and skin for the treatment, then finished his meal while Miao Shan and the villagers prepared to borrow mountain life and mountain qi.
• Luo Bin spoke with Third Granduncle Hu, who chose to remain in the mountains, then followed Miao Xi toward the Nuo God Temple.
• Miao Xi asked about life outside the mountains, and Luo Bin promised that the White Miao would eventually move to Three Perils Mountain and explore the markets.
• Miao Xi mentioned that the Black Miao still hunted them, prompting Luo Bin to realize the Black Miao threat had not been eliminated and that Three Miao Village might be in danger.
• Luo Bin noticed deadly omens on Miao Xi and ordered her to stop, but Miao Qi emerged and told her to come to him.
• When Luo Bin reached for Miao Xi, Miao Qi tried to stop him; Luo Bin kicked Miao Qi aside, but Miao Qi's Gu insects swarmed toward Luo Bin, who pulled Miao Xi back.

Luo Bin pursued the Black Miao Flesh Snake Gu after it killed Miao Xi, but elders from Three Miao Village warned him that the Black Miao were luring him outside. The enemy vanished in poisonous vapor, leaving Luo Bin consumed by grief and murderous anger.

• Miao Qi attacked Luo Bin out of jealousy, but Miao Xi revealed a skinless snake in her throat that twisted off her head.
• The Flesh Snake Gu animated Miao Xi's corpse and fled as Luo Bin pursued it, while Fourth Master Gray warned him of the danger.
• Luo Bin caught up with the Flesh Snake Gu, but elders joined him and explained that Black Miao Gu-Bound People were waiting beyond the village defenses.
• A Black Miao figure surrounded itself with poisonous vapor and disappeared, and Luo Bin imagined Miao Xi's mutilated ghost before him.