Chapter Summaries

Xu Xuan resisted the Thunder Palace laws that demanded he execute mortals converted by Buddhism, and used his thunder to strip Buddhist radiance from their spirits instead. He embraced a path guided by his own heart and vowed to one day proclaim his ideals before all cultivators.

• Song Shiqing and Mei Ye discussed Mingying's departure, the fate of the Heavenwater people, and the history behind Mingying's hatred of Northern Thunder.
• Mei Ye sensed that elders had intervened in the north and predicted that Rare Mountain would fall.
• Xu Xuan found hundreds of thousands of mortals and cultivators in a dazed state after experiencing the Buddha Realm's bliss, while the black laws urged him to execute them.
• Tiantuo challenged Xu Xuan to follow the Thunder Palace decrees, but Xu Xuan declared that harsh punishment was not what his heart sought.
• Xu Xuan used Cinnabar Thunder to strip Buddhist radiance from the mortals' true spirits, enduring the heavenly laws' backlash as some of them awakened.
• Xu Xuan resolved to leave everyone a chance to transcend and vowed to speak his beliefs openly before all cultivators.

Xu Xuan defeated Mingying’s forces, questioned the captured Nü Han, and learned more about Mingying’s past and a mysterious omen. After reaching Azure Lake, he learned that Rare Mountain had fallen to the Grand Truth Immortal Dao and considered the coming battle over Dai Territory as Long Wu Rampart City prepared to descend.

• Xu Xuan studied the murky tear left by Mingying’s Altar Thunder and chose to examine its nature rather than destroy it.
• Liu Xiaowen brought the gravely injured Nü Han before Xu Xuan, who questioned her about Mingying and learned of his origins, cultivation, and an omen involving Vast Wood and lightning.
• Xu Xuan ordered Nü Han imprisoned and sent to the Li army, then traveled north and learned that Azure Lake had been captured.
• Xi Wuya told Xu Xuan that Zhu Ju and others had gone to Rare Mountain, where a Grand Truth Immortal Dao cultivator had prevailed and the mountain had been shattered.
• Xu Xuan and Xi Wuya discussed the approaching descent of Long Wu Rampart City and the likelihood that the war’s decisive fighting would take place in Dai Territory.

Zh Ya and the Thunder Department secured Rare Mountain after driving Feng Yan and the Liao cultivators into retreat. As Great Li prepared to establish its Divine Capital and attack Dai Territory, Zh Ya and Weihua discussed the coming war and the danger of the All-Creation Sorrowful Tear.

• Feng Yan attacked Zh Ya, but Zh Ya invoked Ancient Great White Gold and defeated him with a storm of weapons.
• Feng Yan ordered the Liao Kingdom's cultivators to retreat, and a pure land carried them away.
• Mei Ye reported that Rare Mountain was secured and Azure Radiance was nearly taken, leaving Dai Territory as the remaining target.
• Weihua told Zh Ya that His Majesty Tianchi had enlisted Bodhisattva Ancient Boat and planned to establish a Divine Capital in Li Province and invest six divine departments.
• Zh Ya and Weihua discussed the expected involvement of Martial Mu Mountain in the war against Liao and the threat of the All-Creation Sorrowful Tear affecting the Calamity-Splitting Sword Immortal.

After the battle at Azure Lake, Xu Xuan accepted a Li-Origin Pill and a new rank from the Song Clan, while preparing Liu Xiaowen to investigate the Western Sea. As Xu Xuan studied a cold-yin scripture, he suspected that someone had deliberately distorted its Dao teachings and left him wondering whether to warn Bai Xuan.

• Song Shiqing delivered Tianchi’s decree elevating Xu Xuan to Thunder Department Divine General and gave him a Li-Origin Pill before ordering him to attend the Divine Capital’s founding and assist the northern campaign.
• Xu Xuan handed Nü Han over to Song Shiqing, who burned away her Dharma body and took her true spirit with him.
• Xu Xuan and Tiantuo discussed Li fire’s need for an overwhelming northern victory and the dangers of the war, then decided Liu Xiaowen should investigate Cang Water and the Azure Leaf Sky.
• Xu Xuan gave Liu Xiaowen the Great Wind Shaking Xun Fan, and Liu Xiaowen departed overseas with plans to seize the White Cang Sea and seek the Upper Firmament’s help.
• Xu Xuan used the Li-Origin Pill to heal his wounds and studied the Clear Cold Moon-Repentance Scripture with Tiantuo, who noticed that its lesser-yin and greater-yin arts did not match their supposed origins.
• Xu Xuan suspected that a higher power had altered the cold-yin teachings to prevent anyone from attaining cold yin, and wondered whether he should warn Bai Xuan.

Jinghua visited Cang Water at Spring and Autumn Temple and learned that only True Lord golden nature could let the dying monster reincarnate. After Fu Dong warned her away from the South Sea, Liu Xiaowen returned to Longflow, planned to seek Upper Firmament’s support, and arrived at Green Pond to meet Azure Origin.

• Jinghua confronted Cang Water, who revealed that he had guarded Spring and Autumn Temple for over a thousand years and begged for a chance to reincarnate.
• Jinghua told Cang Water that he needed golden nature left by a True Lord to preserve his soul and body, then left while he raged inside the temple.
• Fu Dong intercepted Jinghua and warned Long Abode against meddling in South Sea affairs or competing for Azure Leaf Sky.
• Fu Dong returned through Tomb Mountain’s gateway to Great Wind Mystic Firmament and bowed before a dark red candle flame amid the wind and fire calamities.
• Liu Xiaowen returned to Longflow, discussed Cang Water and plans to seek Upper Firmament’s protection with Xu Fayan, then traveled to Green Pond.
• Liu Xiaowen was astonished by Azure Origin’s perfected divine ability and signs of a second one before Azure Origin invited him inside.

Ruan Yuan and Liu Xiaowen agreed that Upper Firmament Gate would take charge of White Cang under Ruan Yuan’s sect’s protection, while watching for Dark Abyss, outsiders, and Dragonkind. In Ren Sea, Xu Xuan struggled to control the desire Bai Su awakened in his dragon blood and decided to leave her alone for now as he prepared to enter the capital.

• Ruan Yuan perfected [Azure Yang Radiance] and discussed the contest for White Cang with Liu Xiaowen, who said his sect planned to take charge of the sea under Upper Firmament Gate’s protection.
• Ruan Yuan told Liu Xiaowen that Dark Abyss might come to claim Cang Water’s remains and warned that Dragonkind could force them to retreat if the ancient temple changed.
• Xu Xuan considered his progress with [Thunder-Shock Heavenly Thoroughfare] and his study of [Mystery Mystic Thunder Unification Secrets] while cultivating in Clear Harmony Water Palace.
• Xu Xuan told Bai Su to inform Qing Ling that the Dragon Court had not provided a Ren water cultivation method and asked how Bai Xuan was progressing with her final divine ability.
• Bai Su’s presence stirred Xu Xuan’s dragon blood and greed, so he sent her away and decided to postpone investigating her while focusing on his own cultivation and the coming summer solstice.

Xu Xuan arrived at Great Li’s Southern Capital and met Nangang and the Northern Yin True Person before the court audience. Northern Yin recognized that Xu Xuan had encountered the Bliss-Desire Demon Land’s methods and revealed the ancient origins of the No-Thought Demon Trial and the Demon Land, leaving Xu Xuan with the identity of its true master.

• Xu Xuan entered the Southern Capital beneath the rising [Origin Net] star, and Tiantuo warned him that a True Lord’s influence was reaching into the mortal world.
• Xu Xuan met Nangang, who told him that Emperor Song might reward him for his recent victory over Liao-Shi and invited him to meet the Wu Household’s ancestor before court.
• Xu Xuan accompanied Nangang to the Northern Yin True Person’s Main Hall, where Northern Yin asked whether he had encountered the No-Thought Demon Trial.
• Northern Yin explained that the trial was an ancient foundational artifact of Withering Qi and warned that Xu Xuan would face a more terrifying Demonic Trial at the violet pinnacle.
• Xu Xuan described what he knew of the Bliss-Desire Demon Land, and Northern Yin named its master as the [Outer Dharma Free Desire-Tide Primordial Lord].

Xu Xuan attended Great Li’s assembly, where His Majesty Tianchi ordered the Immortal Dao to prepare for a northward offensive against Liao. The court then accused the Green-Waste Dao of colluding with Glorious Age, and Tianchi commanded an attack on its former lands.

• Northern Yin True Person explained the Primordial Lord, demonic nature, and the foundations of demonic trials to Xu Xuan.
• Northern Yin True Person brought Xu Xuan and Nangang to the imperial hall, where Xu Xuan observed the Divine Rite Dao Seal and awaited His Majesty Tianchi.
• Tianchi appeared before the gathered Purple Mansion cultivators, and Huji announced that the White Altar would govern the Divine Dao, Martial Mu the immortal houses, and Tai Zhen the northward advance.
• Northern Yin True Person accused Wei Xiuwen of the Green-Waste Dao of colluding with Glorious Age, and Rang'an claimed that Ji Huo had defected to the Evil Land.
• Tianchi accepted Rang'an as a subject of Great Li and ordered the Thunder and Fire Ministries to attack the former Green-Waste lands and kill the Evil Land Bodhisattva.

Weihua briefed Xu Xuan on the northern campaign and the formidable Bodhisattva Evil Land, then supplied Xu Xuan with treasures and a Thunder Palace killing art. Xu Xuan accepted the rewards and reflected on the rapid rise of White Altar and the prospect of future upheaval among figures of wu earth.

• Weihua explained that the Thunder and Fire Departments would lead the advance north and that taking the Azure-Silt Desert was necessary before attacking Shengle.
• Xu Xuan asked about Evil Land, and Weihua revealed that Gu Huaixu, once Azure Goat's first disciple, had become a powerful Bodhisattva capable of contending with wielders of great divine abilities.
• Weihua asked Xu Xuan to help restrain Buddhist and demonic forces with altar thunder, and Xu Xuan agreed to take part in the northern advance.
• Weihua gave Xu Xuan the Great Absolute Northern Light to advance his Heavenly Eye cultivation, along with Heavenly Altar Thunder Liquid and the Primordial Unity Thunderfire spell.
• Weihua warned Xu Xuan that White Altar now oversaw the Divine Dao and had attained divine abilities, while Xu Xuan considered the future struggle among the four figures of wu earth.

Zhi Xi obtained the Wondrous Method of Embracing the One Divine Embryo from Evil Land in exchange for helping his forces resist the Li army, then confronted her estranged sister Chou Xi in the desert. At Perilous Pass, Liu Xingfang refused to retreat to cultivate and chose to follow the path of Tribulation Command as war approached.

• Zhi Xi met Evil Land in the Devouring-Virtue Pure Land and learned that his preparations awaited the Li army.
• Zhi Xi told Evil Land that Bliss-Desire Demon Land sought the Wondrous Method of Embracing the One Divine Embryo to develop an embryo, and Evil Land gave her the scripture in exchange for support against the Li army.
• Zhi Xi encountered Chou Xi practicing swordsmanship and urged her to remember their family ties, but Chou Xi rejected her and drove off her demonic shadows.
• Xu Xuan and Tiantuo discussed the immense karma and past atrocities associated with Evil Land as Perilous Pass's formation was repaired.
• Xu Xuan asked Liu Xingfang to reconsider joining the coming battle, but Liu Xingfang refused to retreat and declared that he would follow the path of Tribulation Command.

Xu Xuan received news of the coming Grotto-Heaven while considering the wars ahead, and Liu Xiaowen visited Dousing Flame to seek pills and a Bing Fire artifact. The chapter ended with Jingying offering him an ancient scroll in exchange for a seed of his spirit fire.

• Xu Xuan examined the returned [Xi Flame] armor, read Nine Firmaments' warning about Heavenly Leaf and the Grotto-Heaven, and hoped to gain Celestial Virtue before the Azure Leaf Sky opened.
• Liu Xiaowen arrived at Dousing Flame with [Heavenly Altar Thunder Liquid] and altar thunder for pills, where he discovered that Jingying had taken Pingxiu's place.
• Jingying agreed to refine two altar thunder pills and advised Liu Xiaowen to avoid involvement in the conflict surrounding White Cang and [Spring and Autumn Temple].
• Liu Xiaowen asked whether Dousing Flame had a Bing Fire Spirit Artifact, and Jingying offered a [Floodfire Beast Scroll] for a condensed seed of his [Eternal Bright Venerable Light Profound Flame].

Liu Xiaowen exchanged the Greater Yang Flame Furnace art for Jingying’s ancient Floodfire Beast Scroll and received the Eternal Bright Venerable Light Profound Flame in return. As he considered Jingying’s possible Golden Nature and the ancient meaning of Bing Fire, Li Shangmi joined Si Wenchuan on a journey south toward the Southern Sea and Azure Leaf Sky.

• Jingying explained that the Floodfire Beast Scroll contained a Radiant Bear spirit artifact and offered it to Liu Xiaowen in exchange for the Greater Yang Flame Furnace art.
• Liu Xiaowen agreed to provide the art, accepted the scroll, and gave Jingying the Eternal Bright Venerable Light Profound Flame as the fire seed.
• Jingying returned to the Pill Furnace, and Liu Xiaowen left with the scroll, suspecting that she possessed False Nature and reflecting on Bing Fire’s connection to sacred kingship.
• Li Shangmi arrived at Si Wenchuan’s Whitewood Dao Temple after his master ordered him to accompany and protect Si Wenchuan on his Southern Sea travels.
• Si Wenchuan said he planned to retrieve something tied to his Upright Flourishing path from Azure Leaf Sky, then led Li Shangmi south to collect something first.

Cang Water turned on Dark Abyss as the two demons prepared to claim White Cang, but the First Sea Dragon King arrived and devoured them, taking the Spring and Autumn Temple. Liu Xiaowen secured White Cang as an overseas base for his sect, while Tiantuo suspected First Sea had used the encounter to test Li Shangmi and Si Wenchuan, who continued toward the Southern Sea.

• Cang Water let Dark Abyss devour most of his body, then bit and restrained him as the Spring and Autumn Temple drew them together.
• Azure Origin and Liu Xiaowen waited to seize White Cang, but Li Shangmi and Si Wenchuan arrived before they could act.
• First Sea emerged, swallowed the temple and the two demons, and forced Li Shangmi and Si Wenchuan into the sea before leaving through the Great Void.
• Azure Origin restored Si Wenchuan and Li Shangmi, then invited them to Azure Depths, but they declined and headed for the Southern Sea.
• Li Shangmi asked Liu Xiaowen about his master, Sword Immortal Xu, and said he hoped to discuss the Sword Dao with him.
• Liu Xiaowen reflected that his sect had secured an overseas base, while Tiantuo suspected First Sea had anticipated the visitors and was testing them.

Mei Ye and Zhuoxie assessed the standoff at Perilous Pass as Xu Xuan drove back the Devouring-Virtue Pure Land’s Bodhisattvas and considered threats to his Dragon Body. When Liu Xingfang visited Xu Xuan, a powerful Jia Wood presence arrived from the south and began holding back the Pure Land.

• Mei Ye sensed the enemy’s intentions while Zhuoxie worried that Yili’s arrival could be too dangerous, and they discussed Jia Wood’s ability to suppress Withered Desolation.
• Xu Xuan defeated White Countenance and reflected on the Pure Land’s Bodhisattvas, then read Liu Xiaowen’s letter about Master Pingxiu and the Dousing Flame and Jingying paths.
• Tiantuo warned Xu Xuan that a Greater Yang Sword Immortal in the Southern Sea might threaten his Dragon Body, so Xu Xuan considered studying the Clear Cold Moon-Repentance Scripture.
• Liu Xingfang told Xu Xuan that his Immortal Foundation was nearing transformation but that he still could not grasp Sword Intent.
• A vast Jia Wood tree descended from the Great Void near Perilous Pass, and Xu Xuan wondered whether a Great True Person from Azure Radiance had arrived.

Mei Ye and Great Li's forces began their assault on Green Loam, using Yi Li to hold back Evil Land while Zhuoxie and Xing You attacked the Pure Land. Xu Xuan engaged the Vast Water Sword Immortal as the battle spread, with the Pure Land beginning to collapse.

• Yi Li warned Mei Ye that he could hold Evil Land off but would not easily kill him, then left to confront him.
• Mei Ye learned that the Yu-Attracting Treasure Tree and the Great Li formation were suppressing the Pure Land, and she ordered the army to attack north.
• Zhuoxie used Harmonizing the Seasons and Transgressive Portents to weaken the Pure Land and its demonic Buddhist defenders.
• Xing You joined the attack with Li Fire as Venerable Qingdan and Vermilion Feaster emerged to fight the Divine Dao forces.
• The Vast Water Sword Immortal protected White Countenance from Xu Xuan's sword strike, and Xu Xuan began fighting her while Xing You drove White Countenance back.

Yi Li sealed the Great Void with his Heaven-Shrouding Leaf and fought Evil Land as the armies of Li and Liao battled below. With the Pure Land cut off, the fighting shifted in Li’s favor, but Chou Xi unleashed a powerful water sword against Xu Xuan, leaving him facing a deadly calamity.

• Yi Li and Evil Land clashed in the Great Void as Yi Li transformed the Pure Land into fertile azure loam and declared that Azure Goat’s destruction was settled.
• Yi Li used the Heaven-Shrouding Leaf to seal the Great Void and weaken the Diamonds’ and Bodhis’ connection to the Pure Land.
• Xing You confronted White Countenance, who summoned black locusts, while her Vermilion Bird feather strengthened Li’s forces.
• Zhuoxie formed the Heavenly Capital Thunder-Moon Dharma Body and struck at the Azure Lion as the Thunder Department fought the Buddhist monsters.
• Chou Xi revealed the Listening to the Tide sword move and sent heavy water crashing toward Xu Xuan as his Immortal Executioner brought her to the execution platform.

Xu Xuan fought Chou Xi and Zhi Xi on the Execution Platform, testing his growing power as Wanjin intervened and turned the battle. The fight left Chou Xi’s head severed, Zhi Xi fleeing, and White Countenance dead, while an angry warning threatened to widen the conflict.

• Chou Xi recalled her master’s teachings about Ren and Vast Water forming circulation, then resisted Xu Xuan’s execution with rising tides as he attacked with Tribulation Command and his Heavenly Eye.
• Zhi Xi emerged from Chou Xi’s arms, revealed her Demon Manifestation, and tried to persuade Xu Xuan to join the Bliss-Desire Demon Land while Chou Xi was pressured into fighting beside her.
• Xu Xuan expanded into his Dharma Body and battled both women, breaking Zhi Xi’s restraint and suppressing her demonic body with thunder, fire, and Black Laws.
• Chou Xi’s Sword Intent helped Zhi Xi recover and pin Xu Xuan down, but Wanjin arrived, struck Chou Xi down with Golden Scale, and drove Zhi Xi’s soul to flee north.
• Wanjin gave Golden Scale to Xu Xuan and said Feng Yan had lost and Martial Mu Mountain had tied down the Liao Army’s main force; Xu Xuan then killed White Countenance with a crossing strike of his two swords.
• Azure Lion and Red Vulture sensed Xu Xuan’s sword might turning toward them, as an angry voice from the sky warned Tai Zhen to abide by the rules.

Evil Land overwhelmed the Divine Department with his Pure Land until Yi Li summoned Azure Radiance's True Lord blood and drove him from Green Loam. The Divine Department occupied the territory, while Yi Li departed for his mountain and Xu Xuan learned that Azure Radiance had fallen and its True Lord Panzhang had attained Tianyu's Golden Rank.

• Evil Land unleashed the Pure Land and Nether Sheep Feeding Cauldron, devastating the defenders as Yi Li struggled to hold him back.
• Xing You, Xi Wuya, Zhuoxie, Wanjin, and Xu Xuan retreated toward Perilous Pass while Evil Land's Pure Land engulfed Green Loam.
• Yi Li invoked Lord Mengzhang of Yu Wood through a drop of True Lord blood, transforming the desert into forest and forcing Evil Land and his allies to flee north.
• Yi Li told Zhuoxie that his task was finished and departed for his mountain, while the Divine Department regrouped and occupied Green Loam.
• Wanjin told Xu Xuan that Azure Radiance had fallen and explained that the blood belonged to True Lord Panzhang, who had attained the Golden Rank of the former Dragon Lord Tianyu.

Evil Land entered Shengle, sent his demon followers on separate missions, and used the Nether Sheep Feeding Cauldron to create a creature that consumed his ruined body and Murong Xin. He then confronted Feng Yan in Heavenly Wolf Hall, where their clash was interrupted by news that the Li Army was nearing Yin Mountain.

• Evil Land arrived in Shengle after ordering Azure Devourer to report Panzhang's fall and Vermilion Feaster to investigate the Bliss-Desire Demon Land.
• Evil Land entered the palace, shed his ruined human body, and summoned the Nether Sheep creature, which devoured him and Murong Xin.
• Evil Land appeared in Heavenly Wolf Hall and mocked Feng Yan's wound from Martial Mu Mountain's Final Yin Pivot-Settling Sword.
• Feng Yan destroyed Murong Xin's reappearing form and challenged Evil Land over his conduct and Buddhist claims.
• Evil Land and Feng Yan exchanged threats and briefly clashed before an iron-gray-robed woman announced that the Li Army was nearing Yin Mountain.

Feng Yan prepared for the coming struggle over Shengle as Northern Liao’s enemies gathered powerful Buddhist allies. At Azure Wan Heaven, Yi Li revealed the danger facing the grotto-heaven and left Guang Su instructions before departing to die in meditation.

• Xiao Xuelin warned Feng Yan that Ancient Boat might intervene for the Li Kingdom, and Feng Yan planned to seek help from the Bliss-Desire Demon Land and mobilize his forces.
• Zhi Xi asked Feng Yan about her missing younger sister, and he promised to remember the matter while insisting that the war came first.
• Guang Su mastered the [Root of Burning] as strange signs showed that Azure Wan Heaven and its wood lineage were failing.
• Yi Li told Guang Su that Mystic Secrets had deceived them and that his changing body threatened the grotto-heaven.
• Yi Li pierced his heart aperture and qi sea with metal nails, then instructed Guang Su to divide his body after his death and preserve the Azure Radiance Dao lineage.
• Yi Li departed toward the south to die in meditation, and Guang Su knelt to bid farewell to her master.