Recaps

Chen Xiaojun turned the Bone-Digging Corps’ assault into a decisive victory, while Xiao Yi broke free of the inner demon in her Sea of Consciousness. At Iron Jaw Fortress, Chen Xiaojun recovered, learned Xiao Yi was not in serious danger, and began considering the clan’s future as the tournament continued without him.

• An Mingyuan’s summoned dogs helped hold the line as the Bone-Digging Corps breached the defenses, until Chen Xiaojun emerged from his sword cocoon and killed the Ghost Bat Soul Saint with Chen Mu.
• Chen Xiaojun froze and devastated the Bone-Digging Corps, then killed the Earthshaking Rock Rhinoceros and Dark Rock Turtle Soul Saints, and the Chen Clan forces routed the remaining enemies and captured their leaders.
• Chen Zhang secured the surrender of the Rusty Brotherhood and Phantom Shadow Sisterhood as the allied army took control of the Canopy District, while Chen Xiaojun sensed a resonance between crystal fragments and the Black-Red Cocoon.
• Xiao Yi traversed strange realms within her Sea of Consciousness, confronted the figure claiming to be the Divine Godhead, and revealed it was an inner demon that she purified with the Nine Palace Soul-Shifting Art.
• Lesser Siming acknowledged Xiao Yi’s will and sent divine knowledge and laws into her Sea of Consciousness, leaving her unconscious inside an azure-white cocoon.
• Chen Xiaojun awoke at Iron Jaw Fortress, thanked his recovering companions, and decided to investigate the crystal fragments and assess the fortress, and Chen Mu told him Xiao Yi showed no sign of serious danger.
• Chen Xiaojun learned he had missed Chang'an Academy’s match against Moonlight Academy while unconscious, and Gu Zijian reported that provisions had been secured while the cooks checked unfamiliar underground food.
• Gu Zijian said he wanted to become a battle chef, and Chen Xiaojun supported his choice despite Chen Mu and An Mingyuan’s concerns about the profession’s prospects.

Chen Xiaojun oversaw the rescue and assessment of trafficked children, identified promising recruits, and set plans for training and resettlement. He then joined negotiations that brought the Rusty Brotherhood and Sincerity Trade Association under the Chen Clan’s authority, while the Phantom Shadow Sisterhood faced a decision about its future.

• Chen Xiaojun and Chen Mu assessed the rescued children, identifying Bao Ruoxi as a promising food-type Soul Master and Winter as the bearer of a powerful Iceblood Dragon martial soul.
• Winter tested his strength against Ma Liang, who defeated him and Bian Zhu and Xiang Feng before revealing his own exceptional rank and martial soul.
• Chen Xiaojun arranged for Winter to earn advancement through the Chen Shadow Guard and began planning new routes and roles for recruits and captives from Iron Jaw Fortress.
• Chen Xiaojun chose Xin Shouyi to train Bao Ruoxi and made Mai Zheling her adoptive father, while she began using her bun martial soul to help the other children and Winter.
• Chen Xiaojun discussed building a Battle Chef force, encouraged Gu Yuanchao to send Zijian for training, and hinted that Zijian might undergo a second awakening.
• Chen Xiaojun used the Eye of Judgment on the captives, then left the courtyard after Dugu Fu summoned him to negotiations with Tang Hengyu and Tan Yashuang.
• Chen Zhang offered the Rusty Brotherhood, the Phantom Shadow Sisterhood, and the Sincerity Trade Association terms for joining or cooperating with the new order, while outlining options for those who chose to leave.
• Tang Hengyu placed the Rusty Brotherhood under the Chen Clan’s protection, Hahn agreed to follow Chen Zhang’s arrangements, and Tan Yashuang was invited to hear a confidential briefing as the underground passages were sealed.

Chen Xiaojun and the Joint Management Council reorganized Iron Jaw Fortress, planned a shared energy formation, and uncovered Barton’s ties to Spirit Hall through Dou Jing’s testimony. Meanwhile, intelligence about Chen Xiaojun and Donghuang Xiuyi reshaped the tournament’s prospects, and the Crimson Embrace’s prophecy about Azure Bamboo triggered panic across the Underworld.

• Chen Zhang and the council reorganized the Bone-Digging Corps’ assets and prisoners, while Chen Xiaojun proposed new trade, infrastructure, refugee-screening, and training plans for the Canopy District.
• Chen Xiaojun presented Chen Cong’s Baleful Energy Absorption Magic Formation, explained how it could benefit all four families, and secured Chen Zhang’s order to begin construction using the Divine Wood Heart as its core.
• Qin Lüguang and Zhu Yanfeng interrogated Dou Jing and the captured Soul Saints, while Chen Xiaojun survived Dou Jing’s mental attack and pressured the prisoners to reveal Barton’s network.
• Yan Zhen and Mo Li described the corps’ dealings with Bloodfang and Spirit Hall, and Dou Jing explained how Barton rose to power and became entangled with the Jin Family and Spirit Hall.
• Dou Jing revealed that Barton had used his family as leverage and that Bloodfang’s faction controlled much of the trafficking route, while Chen Xiaojun bluffed about knowing where Dou Jing’s children were.
• Ma Yin Qi revealed that Chen Xin Yi was Donghuang Xiuyi and confronted Chen Jianjun over concealing her identity and Chen Xiaojun’s abilities, prompting the team to abandon its plans against Chang’an and prepare for the tournament.
• As the search for Azure Bamboo entered its fourth day, Ye Xiao forces found the Crimson Embrace preparing to use him as a vessel for the Lord of Corrupt Blood, and Ge Laizheng and Yu Yuancheng killed the cult priest.
• The dying priest prophesied that Azure Bamboo would become the Evil God’s vessel within seven days, causing crowds to flee the Underworld as Ge Laihao recognized the resulting disorder as a new crisis.

Chen Xiaojun investigated the Black-Red Cocoon’s influence while the Chen Clan reorganized its eastern headquarters and Qingluo’s escape attempt unleashed chaos at Iron Jaw Fortress. The arc ended with Five Mountains Academy defeating Skywater Team as tensions around the Crimson Cult and Goddess Lake continued to rise.

• Chen Xun reinforced Iron Jaw Fortress and the Heaven Dou Duke’s Mansion, then Zhu Hanshu arrived with officials and delivered appointments establishing the eastern Ancestral Land as the Chen Clan’s second headquarters.
• Chen Hanxin took charge of clan affairs in the east as the leadership planned to expand the Chen Shadow Guard, establish a training base, and develop Moonlight City’s Medicinal Market.
• Chen Xiaojun coldly beheaded Shirley Luke, then Ye Xiuxin warned him that the Black-Red Cocoon could erode his judgment as it absorbed negative energy.
• Chen Xiaojun used the Nethersea Seven Kill Sword’s stored negative essence and a Nine Yang Sun Wheel to feed the cocoon, which began drawing in yang energy.
• Chen Xiaojun gave Ma Liang the Flame Breathing Technique, then ordered Dugu Fu to compile a report on the Iron Jaw Fortress battle as rumors spread that corrupt blood would soon flood the surface.
• Qingluo escaped her restraints and fought through the Mountain Fort, summoning swarms of poisonous spiders that injured and killed workers before Chen Mu and the guards pursued her.
• Chen Xiaojun intercepted Qingluo, whom Zuo Jinhua identified as Bi Qingxiu, and sealed her mental and soul-power abilities after discovering her exceptional mental strength and inheritance-grade head Soul Bone.
• Chen Mu treated Bi Qingxiu’s shoulder and saw her true face, while Xia Qingyun and Xue Laixi argued over the Chen Clan’s political maneuvers and the final day of the academy tournament began.
• Yang Wenxiu shattered Skywater Team’s Ice Phoenix with a Five Elements Spirit-Chasing Arrow, securing Five Mountains Academy’s victory.