Chapter Summaries

After the demon leader’s execution, Xu Xuan gained merit qi and demonstrated that he had established Heaven-Commanding Tribulation. Song Shiming urged him to abandon the perilous ancient method and join the Divine Dao to protect his sect, but Xu Xuan resolved to attempt the breakthrough despite the risks.

• A heavenly sword strike killed the demon leader, and Xu Xuan grasped new insights into Yang Thunder’s Mystic Zenith while suffering severe damage from witnessing the display.
• Merit qi descended to cleanse the cultivators, and Xu Yi gave Xu Xuan and Xi Wuya Thunder-Cleansing Essence-Nourishing Pills.
• Song Shiming summoned Xu Xuan and confirmed that he had entered the Thunder Prison and obtained the Heaven-Commanding Tribulation inheritance.
• Song Shiming warned that the ancient method offered almost no chance of survival and proposed that Xu Xuan enter the Divine Dao under the Mystic Thunder Department’s protection.
• Xu Xuan refused to abandon the ancient method, choosing to attempt the dangerous breakthrough and hoping to add to Great Li’s thunder-path foundations.

Wang Cheng Yan experienced a vision of a sword slaying a Cinnabar Bird and recognized the Northern Dipper array on its broken sword tip. Meanwhile, Xu Xuan considered using his Immortal Register to sense Altar Thunder and pursue the ancient ascension method, as Xu Fayan’s name suddenly rose within the register.

• Wen Guang explained that he was reforging a Purple Mansion Spirit Sword’s broken tip into a Foundation Establishment Dharma Sword, but its Li Fire clashed with its divine thunder.
• Wang Cheng Yan touched the sword tip and saw a vision of a Daoist using Northern Dipper divine thunder to kill a Cinnabar Bird with the sword.
• Wang Cheng Yan recognized the Northern Dipper array as the one inscribed on the sword, and Wen Guang sent him away with the completed Benevolent Heart Banner for Martial Uncle Fa Yan.
• Xu Xuan discussed his difficulty understanding the ascension method with Tiantuo and proposed using his exalted seat of shock thunder to glimpse Altar Thunder.
• Tiantuo said the Immortal Register might give Xu Xuan a way forward, and Xu Xuan examined it as Xu Fayan’s name suddenly rose in its radiance.

Xu Fayan broke through to Foundation Establishment and formed a Buried-Tomb Womb Immortal Foundation, then learned from Xu Xuan that a human-made demon calamity was expected in Red Cloud within two years. The chapter ended with Xu Fayan weighing his duty to the sect and its people against his own survival, staring at his Spirit Devourer token.

• Xu Fayan completed his breakthrough, manifested the two Mysterious Elephants of the Buried-Tomb Womb, and emerged from the earth veins with new powers.
• Wang Cheng Yan delivered the Benevolent Heart Banner, while Zhang Yiwan brought pills and spirit herbs to congratulate Xu Fayan.
• Xu Xuan praised Xu Fayan's rapid progress and warned him that the Jade Flow Demon Calamity was approaching.
• Xu Fayan questioned why ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators could not stop the threat, and Xu Xuan revealed that the calamity was a human-made disaster due within two years.
• Xu Xuan said he planned to attain a Divine Ability and told Xu Fayan that the sect would need his help; he refused to abandon the mountain's people and disciples.
• Left alone, Xu Fayan struggled with the choice between the sect, its people, and his life, then stared at his Spirit Devourer token.

Wang Cheng Yan and Wen Guang investigated the Northern Dipper thunder positions while reforging [Blazing Splendor], learning from Si Xunyao that the array concealed the ancient Altar Thunder positions. Their completed array unexpectedly produced Altar Thunder, stirring Xu Xuan at Heavenly Tribulation Mountain.

• Wang Cheng Yan tested Northern Dipper Dao patterns on several blade segments but found that Shock Thunder and Divine Thunder repelled each other.
• Si Xunyao explained that Divine Thunder and Shock Thunder had replaced Altar Thunder in the Northern Dipper, while Altar Thunder's positions remained hidden among the Assistant stars.
• Wen Guang fused the blade segments and engraved a Northern Dipper array with Wang Cheng Yan's guidance, adding Left Assistant and Right Assistant to its seven stars.
• Wen Guang activated the array, which cycled thunder seven times and produced a faint spark of Altar Thunder at Tianpeng, though Heavenly Ruin did not respond.
• Xu Xuan sensed the true essence of [interflowing union] at Heavenly Tribulation Mountain and rushed there as lightning.

Xu Xuan examined Wang Cheng Yan’s newly inscribed thunder array, rewarded him with the future charge of Desolate Awakening Peak, and planned to ask the Purple Gold Abbey about the array’s origins. Meanwhile, Xu Fayan refined his banner and heard Empty-Handed’s account of the buried-tomb womb before asking how Empty-Handed had died; Empty-Handed vanished without answering.

• Xu Xuan studied Wang Cheng Yan’s [Dipper Slaughter Death-Decreeing Thunder Array], connected it to the Heavenly Canopy Star, and ordered Wen Guang to learn whether the Purple Gold Abbey still possessed the legacy.
• Xu Xuan praised Wang Cheng Yan’s artifact work and promised him charge of Desolate Awakening Peak once he reached the sixth level of Qi Refining.
• Xu Fayan absorbed gu worms and nine talisman riders into the [Benevolent Heart Banner] and prepared to refine baleful intent into it.
• Empty-Handed appeared beside Xu Fayan and recounted how a strange creature consumed the people of Nanshe and left behind the scriptures for [buried-tomb womb] and [surplus green and red].
• Xu Fayan sensed a pair of murky yellow insect eyes, asked Empty-Handed whether he remembered how he died, and found that he had vanished.

Radiant Refinement and Pidan discussed the Dragon Palace’s schemes and her decision to leave the Eastern Sea, while Dongfang Qionglian and Zhang Yu received orders to travel east in search of the Old Fusang Lands. The chapter ended with Zhang Yu agreeing to prepare a carriage and Qionglian remaining alone in the palace.

• Pidan drew a moonlight carp from the moonlight while Radiant Refinement watched the Greater Yin position.
• Radiant Refinement told Pidan she planned to leave the Eastern Sea and warned him about the dangers of the Eastern Radiance inheritance and the Dragon Palace’s schemes.
• Pidan explained that the Dragon Palace intended to awaken the reincarnated golden boy and jade maiden and that Zhang Yu would be sent back to his sect for another purpose.
• Dongfang Qionglian wore her old Tide Province clothing and White Rosy Cloud Flower as Zhang Yu told her the Dragon Palace had ordered them east.
• Qionglian told Zhang Yu to travel simply toward the Old Fusang Lands and promised that his brother Xiao Wen would return, though not yet.
• Zhang Yu left to prepare a carriage while Qionglian sat alone behind a veil.

Liu Xiaowen left the Calm Sea and joined Zhang Yu and Dongfang Qionglian on their journey to the far east, while Dragon Kings Dongfang Guanji and Dongfang Guangxu watched them from the Great Void and discussed the Dragon Palace’s rivals. The travelers continued east under the dragonkin’s scrutiny as tensions over the Western Sea and Mu Youdu’s impending breakthrough remained unresolved.

• Nie Youwei saw Liu Xiaowen off and urged him to stay alive and honor his title as Right Envoy of True Radiance.
• Liu Xiaowen bade farewell to the aquatic creatures of the Calm Sea and told Bai Ling to remain behind before setting out in his treasure carriage.
• Liu Xiaowen joined Zhang Yu and Dongfang Qionglian’s expedition to the far east, and Zhang Yu accepted his company as protection.
• In the Great Void, Dongfang Guanji and Dongfang Guangxu watched the travelers enter their intended position and discussed the Song Clan’s claim in the Western Sea and Mu Youdu’s attempt to attain a divine ability.
• Dongfang Guangxu condemned the decision to send a blood descendant of Eastern Vast to her death, while Dongfang Guanji called for dignity; below, Qionglian opened her dimmed eyes.

Zhang Yu boiled the silver pot’s seawater and burned the red thread that had bound him to Qionglian, then faced her as she attacked. He launched himself at the white dragon in a final charge, leaving Liu Xiaowen unable to see what happened.

• Zhang Yu saw visions of his life in the silver pot and found Qionglian’s red thread at the bottom, then asked Liu Xiaowen to boil away the seawater.
• Liu Xiaowen used his golden-red fire to boil the pot, and Zhang Yu burned the thread after discovering it had drawn Qionglian to him.
• Qionglian emerged as a white dragon and attacked Zhang Yu, while Liu Xiaowen defended him and urged her to stop.
• Qionglian insisted that a divine ability had made her love Zhang Yu and declared that she wanted him dead.
• Zhang Yu regained his magical power, refused to let anyone else die for him, and charged into Qionglian’s body in purple-red flames.

After learning that Qionglian and Zhang Yu had died in the Radiant Yang Transforming Nature Heavenly Wind, Liu Xiaowen left his post and set out for home with Bai Ling. Meanwhile, Dongfang Guangxu entered the chaos cavern seeking Tiantuo’s body and was captured by the figure waiting among the blood-colored flowers.

• Bai Ling told Liu Xiaowen that the heavenly wind had destroyed his fleet, killed Qionglian and Zhang Yu, and provoked the Dragon Palace to attack across the sea.
• Liu Xiaowen relinquished his duties as Right Envoy and traveled toward the Li Kingdom with Bai Ling, saying he was going home to Red Cloud.
• Dragon King Bright Thunder sent Dongfang Guangxu to search for Tiantuo’s physical body while Dongfang Guanji remained behind to prepare the palace’s formations.
• Dongfang Guangxu found a chaos cavern inside the eastern pole true yang mysterious radiance and entered it under the protection of the Northern Dipper Pearl.
• A figure among the blood-colored flowers seized Dongfang Guangxu, and Primordial Form Manifesting Light struck him as he screamed.

Xu Xuan and Tiantuo subdued Dongfang Guangxu, an Eastern Vast Dragonkin who had intruded into Xu Xuan’s Qi Sea after following a manifestation of Lesser Yang. They trapped him beneath the White Jade Heavenly Palace, where Tiantuo planned to devour him once Xu Xuan reached Purple Mansion.

• Dongfang Guangxu appeared in Xu Xuan’s Qi Sea, and Tiantuo used Three Luminaries mysterious radiance to erase half the dragon’s body and swallow its blood qi.
• Dongfang Guangxu identified himself as a Dragonkin from Eastern Vast and said he had followed a Lesser Yang manifestation in the Eastern Sea before being drawn into the Qi Sea.
• Tiantuo and Xu Xuan discussed the Lesser Yang lineage, Tiantuo’s preserved body in Eastern Radiance Heaven, and the danger of attracting a Golden Core cultivator.
• Tiantuo searched Dongfang Guangxu and took his azure-cloud spirit armor and Sky Thunder Heavenly Net Umbrella, while Xu Xuan explained that mystic qi could reduce artifacts to their original materials.
• Tiantuo and Xu Xuan decided not to kill Dongfang Guangxu because his death might alert the Dragon Lords, and Xu Xuan sealed him beneath the White Jade Heavenly Palace.
• Tiantuo said he would eat Dongfang Guangxu and reincarnate after Xu Xuan reached Purple Mansion.

Liu Yanyu sensed that her master, Liu Xiaowen, was returning, prompting Great Scarlet to prepare for his arrival amid growing dangers on the Great Scenery Plains. Liu Xiaowen reached the sect and reunited with Xu Fayan, leaving behind his long journey and welcoming the sight of home.

• Liu Yanyu took human form while advancing her cultivation and told Wen Guang that Liu Xiaowen might be returning.
• Wang Cheng Yan hurried to consult his grandfather about Liu Xiaowen's return and the danger of his crossing Zhu Clan territory.
• Xu Fayan reflected on Great Scarlet's precarious position, his strained ties with fellow disciples, and his memories of Liu Xiaowen's guidance.
• Xu Fayan sensed a Foundation Establishment visitor arriving by boat on the Li River and sent disciples toward Luoqing Mountain.
• Liu Xiaowen emerged from the skiff, and Xu Fayan solemnly welcomed his senior brother back to the sect.

Liu Xiaowen returned to Green Peaks after years in the Eastern Sea, learned that his grandfather had died, and reunited with Xu Xuan. After giving Liu Xiaowen a Purple Mansion cultivation method, Xu Xuan explained the danger surrounding Plainlands and the sect, then resolved to protect his disciple himself.

• Liu Xiaowen returned to the sect with Zhang Gaoxia and Wang Qiyun, learned his grandfather had died, and heard about the sect's troubles with the Zhu Clan.
• Bai Ling arrived with Liu Xiaowen's Eastern Sea treasures and revealed that Liu Xiaowen had served as the Right Envoy of True Radiance Manor.
• Liu Xiaowen reunited with Xu Xuan, paid respects in the Founders' Hall, and recounted what had happened to Zhang Yu and Qionglian.
• Xu Xuan gave Liu Xiaowen the Sun-Mirror Fire-Bearing Divine Scroll and explained the schemes surrounding Plainlands and the sect.
• Liu Xiaowen offered to sacrifice himself for the sect, but Xu Xuan refused and revealed the Heavenly Successive Star taking shape within his qi sea.

Xu Xuan began the ancient Three Luminaries method to break through to the Purple Mansion, and his connection to the Heavenly Successive Star gave him an unexpectedly smooth path. As he cultivated, Yin Guang told Wanjin that Xu Xuan could become a counter to Northern Liao’s Celestial Pivot Sword Immortal, while the looming White Marsh Diagram affair threatened to complicate his breakthrough.

• Xu Xuan weighed the political pressure around Red Cloud and chose to pursue the ancient Celestial Person method to protect his sect and reach the Purple Mansion.
• Tiantuo taught Xu Xuan the Dipper Mother Heaven-Supporting Rite, and Xu Xuan used the Immortal Register to connect his nature and life to the Heavenly Successive Star.
• Xu Xuan’s breakthrough progress astonished Tiantuo as thunder manifestations strengthened around him, and Xu Xuan realized the Immortal Register was the key to sensing Great Luo.
• In the Great Void, Yin Guang and Wanjin watched Xu Xuan cultivate and discussed the coming reenactment of Shu’s fall through the White Marsh Diagram.
• Yin Guang explained that Xu Xuan’s Altar Thunder and sword intent could help oppose the Celestial Pivot Sword Immortal, and said Northern Liao’s interference would hasten Xu Xuan’s breakthrough.

Liu Xingfang completed his Immortal Foundation as an altar thunder cultivator and reunited with Liu Xiaowen, who told him that Xu Xuan was attempting a breakthrough to Purple Mansion. As the sect prepared allies and escape routes in case the attempt failed, Wen Guang finished forging a Dharma Sword for the Purple Gold Abbey and worried that Xu Xuan’s breakthrough would be difficult.

• Liu Xingfang completed [Tribulation Heart Pool] and pondered its connection to the Thunder Palace’s authority and the Dipper Pivot Court.
• Liu Xiaowen returned to Rainbow-Crossing Peak, reunited with Liu Xingfang, and explained that he was overseeing the sect while Xu Xuan was in seclusion.
• Liu Xiaowen told Liu Xingfang that Xu Xuan was attempting a breakthrough and sent him to handle trade with the Wu Household, an ally who could provide a refuge if the sect fell into danger.
• Wen Guang completed the Purple Gold Abbey’s dark-gold Dharma Sword, refining [Evil-Scorching Light] and forming a [Southern Li Flame] from cinnabar bird bloodfire.
• Wang Cheng Yan and Wen Guang planned to seek the Purple Gold Abbey’s support, while Wen Guang privately doubted the odds of Xu Xuan succeeding with the altar thunder path.

Sui Bai arrived at White Azure Cavern to help Li Song and the demons set an array across Red Cloud, while Qing Ling learned of a dragon with ancient blood from Ren Marsh. The array began sealing southern Red Cloud, and Sui Bai hoped its swift completion would limit the slaughter.

• Sui Bai arrived at White Azure Cavern, suppressed Qing Ling’s divine abilities, and asked for Bai Xuan’s help placing the White Marsh Diagram’s imprint in the Great Void.
• Qing Ling explained that Bai Xuan was away, so Sui Bai and Bright Auspice arranged for Qing Ling to assist in sealing the southern position.
• Sui Bai placed the White Marsh Diagram’s imprint in the Great Void, manifesting a demon horde that sealed the region south of Red Cloud.
• Sui Bai told Qing Ling that the dragons of Eastern Vast had sought the White Marsh clan’s help regarding Lesser Sage Tiantuo, but their lord had refused.
• Qing Ling asked about the dragon who had taken control of the Southern Sea, and Sui Bai said its bloodline appeared to be genuine ancient blood nurtured by Ren Marsh.
• Sui Bai and Qing Ling activated the Soul-Sealing Spirit-Binding Grand Array, as karmic locks descended over Red Cloud and Sui Bai hoped to finish before more lives were lost.

A demonic mist spread across Red Cloud, trapping cultivators and unleashing hordes of demons upon the Plainlands. Liu Xiaowen’s sect prepared its defenses and initially repelled the attack, but five powerful noble-blooded demons arrived as the chapter ended.

• The mist engulfed Flat Lake, where demons killed Liu Baiyi and the cultivators with him before pressing toward the Plainlands.
• Zhu Yuanyun and his troops held the Flat Lake defensive line against the first demonic assault.
• Liu Xiaowen ordered the sect to withdraw its outlying forces and defend the Seven Azure Peaks as the mist spread toward them.
• Liu Xingfang, Wei Yan, and Si Xunyao escaped the fallen Green Transformation, while the sect’s formations and Five-Element Mountain moved into action.
• Wen Guang used Heavenly Brilliance as Sword to destroy the first wave of demons at the Li River.
• Five noble-blooded Foundation Establishment demons emerged from the mist and attacked the sect’s formations.

As monsters besieged the Verdant Wilds, Liu Xiaowen and the other Foundation Establishment cultivators fought to defend the sect while Xu Xuan remained in seclusion. In the Great Void, Song Shiyi watched Zhu Yucheng’s breakthrough draw the Great Shu’s fate, but a strange nine-star sign appeared over another cultivator’s breakthrough.

• Wei Yan left to guard the sect’s borders through the earth veins, while Wen Si’an stayed at Heavenly Tribulation to protect Xu Xuan’s retreat.
• Liang Yong and Empty-Handed arrived and fought the Hook Snake and Singing Snake as Liu Xiaowen, Liu Xingfang, and Xu Fayan joined the battle against the monster tide.
• Wen Guang held the defensive line with the Five-Element Mountain and recognized the attackers as the Six Profound Scale Host, while wondering where their Ba Snake was.
• In the Great Void, Bright Auspice told Song Shiyi that the state preceptor planned to send Chen Weiyuan’s soul into the Divine Dao if his breakthrough failed.
• Song Shiyi saw Zhu Yucheng’s name rise as Great Shu’s fate gathered around him, then noticed the Northern Dipper’s nine stars shining over the silver lightning and questioned the breakthrough method.

The Ba Serpent emerged from the Li River and overwhelmed Mount Dapan, forcing the cultivators to abandon their defenses and retreat as monsters poured into Green Plain. With the sect leader still absent, Xu Fayan took Gao Xia’s soul jade and set out to rescue her trapped group while the Ba Serpent attacked Wen Guang at Green Luo.

• Liang Yong, Liu Xiaowen, Liu Xingfang, and Fa Yan defeated the Foundation Establishment monsters, but Wen Guang sensed that the battle was not over.
• The fully grown Ba Serpent rose from the Li River and shattered Mount Dapan’s defenses, forcing Liu Xiaowen to order a retreat to Green Luo.
• The Ba Serpent flattened Treasure Gourd Mountain and broke through White Stone, exposing Green Plain to the monster tide and trapping many residents.
• Liu Xiaowen prioritized protecting Heavenly Tribulation Mountain, while Wang Qiyun led cultivators to evacuate as many townsfolk as possible.
• Zhang Yiwan reported that Gao Xia and Spring Sprout Hall’s spirit planters were trapped outside the formation, and Liu Xingfang volunteered to rescue them.
• Xu Fayan took Gao Xia’s soul jade and headed toward Green Plain as the Ba Serpent clamped its jaws around Wen Guang’s spiritual-fire body.

Xu Xuan completed a mysterious transformation during his tribulation, but the Great Void authorities believed his soul had shattered and moved on with their plans. As fiends overwhelmed the Red Cloud South Land, Chen Weiyuan stayed behind to fight while the surviving Chen Household members were sent to safety.

• Xu Xuan witnessed visions of the thunder marsh, became a droplet of thunder fluid, and returned to his body as the destinies of [Scarlet Radiance] and [Yin-Binding] dispersed from him.
• Song Shiyi failed to seize Xu Xuan’s name from the Shu Wang Diagram, and Bright Auspice announced that Emperor Wang’s remnant soul had revived and [Kunwei Heaven] was about to manifest.
• Bright Auspice named several office holders for removal; Liu Qiuqi became a wooden spirit statue, while Wu Qinghe, Qi Wen, and Duan Chengsi died during their attempted breakthroughs.
• The Ba Snake swallowed Liu Xiaowen during its assault on Green Luo, and Wang Qiyun ordered the disciples to retreat east as Green Peaks fell.
• Bright Auspice installed Chen Changqi in Emperor Wang’s seat, while Great Shu’s destiny gathered around Zhu Yucheng at the magnetic pole.
• Chen Mingyu led the surviving Chen Household members into the Great Void, and Chen Weiyuan remained behind to fight the encircling fiends until they covered him.

Zhang Gaoxia found her family dead in Green Plain, and Xu Fayan rescued her while fighting through the demon-infested region. As Xu Fayan transformed into the 𫅗 Sheep, Wei Fengnian captured him, devoured Ghost-Cap Child, and turned Zhang Gaoxia into a tiny snake before fleeing with his captive.

• Zhang Gaoxia discovered her mother’s remains in their ruined mansion as a red ape seized her.
• Xu Fayan killed the red ape and carried Zhang Gaoxia south while consuming demonic and human blood qi to survive.
• Xu Fayan transformed into the 𫅗 Sheep, but Wei Fengnian subdued him with a talisman and swallowed Ghost-Cap Child.
• Zhang Gaoxia shielded the 𫅗 Sheep from Wei Fengnian’s lightning whip, but he destroyed her eyes and revealed that the Great Scarlet sect leader’s breakthrough had failed and his soul had dispersed.
• Wei Fengnian used a talisman to transform Zhang Gaoxia into a tiny snake, then bound the 𫅗 Sheep and flew north toward the Zhu Clan.