Recaps

Xiao Hua entrusted the Golden Roc and White Lion to the Black Bear Spirit, praised Xiao Jian for protecting Princess Changling, and learned that Liu Yi could sense other people’s thoughts. He uncovered a Confucian cultivator formation aimed at Black Cloud Ridge and neighboring demons, then ordered the demons into it as he prepared to confront the attack.

• Xiao Hua gave the Black Bear Spirit jade tablets that could control the Golden Roc and White Lion, and the three demon kings agreed to lead Black Cloud Ridge together.
• Xiao Hua praised Xiao Jian for saving Princess Changling and heard that the Second National Teacher, True Person Li Xiangli, might have been captured by Tongzhu Kingdom.
• Liu Yi told Xiao Hua that he could sense others’ thoughts and had used that gift to expose Qin Qingyu’s threat and arrange Xiao Jian’s intervention.
• Xiao Hua promised to keep Liu Yi’s gift secret and teach him Telepathy, then identified a Confucian formation meant to wipe out Black Cloud Ridge and nearby demons.
• Xiao Hua ordered Liu Yi to summon the demons into the formation and brought him to meet a junior brother.

Jiang Yuming and the Tongzhu Kingdom Confucians prepared the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram to trap Xiao Hua, while Du Shanjun questioned why Xiao Hua had entered the formation and Bei Guo Zhenming explained the political stakes behind the battle. The formation began gathering Vast Righteous Qi as the Confucians awaited Xiao Hua.

• Jiang Yuming warned his Jiang family elders that Xiao Hua was dangerous and urged them to rely on the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram rather than confront him alone.
• Jiang Yuming revealed that the king of Tongzhu Kingdom had obtained the Immortal Palace formation and promised his family five chances to study it if they helped destroy the Daoist remnants.
• The Jiang family elders dismissed Jiang Yuming’s concerns and channeled Vast Righteous Qi into the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram.
• Du Shanjun asked Bei Guo Zhenming why Xiao Hua had entered the formation, and Bei Guo Zhenming said Xiao Hua might have grown strong enough to disregard them.
• Bei Guo Zhenming explained that the king sought control of Black Cloud Ridge and its Qi Stone mine, while Du Shanjun declined his offer to recommend him for a court position.

Xiao Hua left Black Cloud Ridge to confront Leng Qingge, the National Teacher of Tongzhu Kingdom, whose Golden Spears and Iron Horses formation suppressed lightning and sent a charge of warhorses and pillars of Qi against him. The assault swept toward Black Cloud Ridge as the battle began.

• Xiao Hua instructed Liu Yi and Wang Zhengfei to guard the cave, told Liu Yi to teach Wang Zhengfei their language, and ordered the demons to remain within the expanded formation.
• Xiao Hua flew out as the Black Bear Spirit, Golden Eagle, White Lion, and the other demons knelt and wished him victory.
• Leng Qingge’s Golden Spears and Iron Horses formation filled the sky with blood-red warhorses and long spears formed from Vast Righteous Qi.
• Xiao Hua challenged the hidden Confucian cultivator, then revealed his name and faced Leng Qingge, who identified himself as Tongzhu Kingdom’s National Teacher.
• Leng Qingge retreated instead of meeting Xiao Hua directly, and the formation extinguished Xiao Hua’s lightning when he tried to use Imperial Thunder Shock.
• Leng Qingge recited a command that sent ten thousand giant warhorses and countless Qi pillars charging at Xiao Hua and blasting Black Cloud Ridge.

Xiao Hua endured Leng Qingge’s Golden Spears, Iron Horses, and hidden anti-Daoist weapons, then used the Sea-Overturning Seal and his overwhelming strength to gain the upper hand. As Xiao Hua trapped Leng Qingge’s Golden Spears, an azure cloud brocade appeared and sent Wind Volcano Forest manifestations to block him.

• Xiao Hua smashed Leng Qingge’s Righteous Qi Pillars and iron warhorses while fighting his way through the formation.
• Leng Qingge unleashed Golden Spears mixed with Immortal Slaying Crossbows and God Slaying Bows, but Xiao Hua’s body withstood them.
• Xiao Hua summoned the Sea-Overturning Seal and crushed the formation’s ten thousand horses.
• Leng Qingge fought Xiao Hua directly with his Fine Iron Spear, but Xiao Hua steadily overwhelmed him.
• Leng Qingge unleashed the Golden Spears of Golden Qi Dawn, and Xiao Hua’s Nascent Soul hand stopped them.
• An azure cloud brocade descended before Xiao Hua’s hand, and Wind Volcano Forest manifestations rushed out to block his path.

Xiao Hua faced Jiang Yuming’s Wind formation, which attacked his heart with rumors and slander carried by Confucian inscriptions. He steadied his mind and endured the assault, leaving the Jiang family stunned as the formation failed to break him.

• Xiao Hua confronted Jiang Yuming after Leng Qingge withdrew, and Jiang Yuming declared that he had come under the king’s orders to eliminate the Daoist remnants.
• Jiang Yuming formed the Hundred Child Book Formation, summoning four enormous books and a child-shaped figure that unleashed the Wind attack.
• The Wind’s clamor and inscriptions overwhelmed Xiao Hua’s earthen shield and began to destabilize his golden body.
• Xiao Hua used the Lightning and Thunder Technique to clear the attack briefly, then realized the wind carried rumors and slander meant to unsettle his heart.
• Xiao Hua steadied his mind and sang of his firm resolve, allowing his golden body to endure the wind and grow more resilient.
• The Jiang family’s children were stunned when Xiao Hua stood firm against their formidable Wind formation.

Xiao Hua overcame the Jiang family's Wind Forest Fire Mountain formation and shattered its final Mountain of Literature and Sea of Words. The Jiang family suffered a complete defeat at Tongzhu Kingdom's Black Cloud Ridge.

• Jiang Yuming activated the forest formation, but Xiao Hua used jade talismans and Fire Crows from his furnace to burn away its inscriptions.
• The Jiang family unleashed the formation's heart fire, but Xiao Hua's crimson Heavenly Heart absorbed the flames without harm.
• Jiang Yuming ordered the final mountain formation to be activated, and the four scrolls combined into the Mountain of Literature and Sea of Words.
• Xiao Hua used the Esoteric sect's Mountain Power to shatter the giant mountain with his golden body.
• Jiang Yuming and the other Confucian cultivators vomited blood from the backlash as the formation collapsed and the Jiang family was defeated.

Xiao Hua faced Baihou Yuqin’s Water Brocade Diagram and became trapped in a sorrowful illusion of Xue Xue, unable to bring himself to dispel it. After Baihou Yuqin’s music ended, she and Leng Qingge believed Xiao Hua had been subdued, but Xiao Hua spoke from within the formation and challenged Leng Qingge.

• Baihou Yuqin revealed herself as the guardian of the Water Brocade Diagram and said she would let Xiao Hua pass if he listened to her tune until it ended.
• Baihou Yuqin played the Rain Bell Chime, conjuring a scene that brought Xiao Hua vivid memories and illusions of Xue Xue.
• Xiao Hua recognized the scene as an illusion but refused to break it, allowing green cloud brocade to bind and pierce him.
• Baihou Yuqin finished playing and told Leng Qingge that she would serve the sovereign no longer, while criticizing his bloodthirsty state of mind.
• Leng Qingge said the subdued Xiao Hua should be taken before the sovereign, but Xiao Hua answered from within the formation and dared Leng Qingge to approach him.

Xiao Hua defeated Baihou Yuqin’s illusion trial and began facing Xi Bohong in the fourth transformation of the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram. His fire techniques matched Xi Bohong’s, and the chapter left Xi Bohong trapped amid Xiao Hua’s exploding fire talismans.

• Xiao Hua escaped Baihou Yuqin’s illusion, explained how his understanding of love and reincarnation freed him, and won her respect.
• Baihou Yuqin invited Xiao Hua to meet her at Lingyuan Cliff, then began the fourth transformation of the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram as Xiao Hua endured injuries to his kidneys.
• Xi Bohong arrived to challenge Xiao Hua, citing his admiration for the blood stele Xiao Hua had erected at Qiyang Temple.
• Xi Bohong unleashed a vast sea of flames, but Xiao Hua took control of the fire and fought him evenly, astonishing Du Shanjun and Bei Guo Zhenming.
• Xiao Hua used fire talismans to trap Xi Bohong and detonated them around him; Xi Bohong answered with fire pearls and his beast’s demon core.

Xiao Hua survived Xi Bohong’s Intense Flame Array with the Five Elements Evasion Technique and spared him for the sake of the Fanged Beast, Lieya. After Xi Bohong fled, Bei Guo Zhenming arrived with Du Shanjun, and Xiao Hua greeted the dean of Tongzhu Academy.

• Xi Bohong sacrificed Lieya, whose body split into tens of thousands of fire beasts that engulfed Xiao Hua.
• Xiao Hua emerged unharmed, explaining that he had escaped the attack with an evasion technique and rebuking Xi Bohong for sacrificing Lieya.
• Xi Bohong demanded to know how Xiao Hua survived, then vanished into the golden cloud brocade when Xiao Hua revealed the Five Elements Evasion Technique.
• Xiao Hua chose not to kill Xi Bohong for Lieya’s sake, and Xi Bohong mocked him before leaving.
• Bei Guo Zhenming arrived with Du Shanjun, and Xiao Hua greeted the Tongzhu Academy dean and remarked on Confucian compound surnames.

Xiao Hua faced Bei Guo Zhenming and Du Shanjun’s earth-aspected Five Brocade Cloud Diagram, broke their statecraft-based bindings with Confucian sword transformation, and challenged Leng Qingge as the next stage of the formation remained ahead.

• Xiao Hua told Bei Guo Zhenming he would hold the true culprits responsible, then invited him to display the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram.
• Bei Guo Zhenming and Du Shanjun used Vast Righteous Qi and royal authority to bind Xiao Hua with countless earth-aspected Qi rings.
• Xiao Hua’s Sea-Overturning Seal shattered the first rings, but the later confinement suppressed his magic power, body, and staff.
• Xiao Hua transformed into a giant heart-shaped sword and tore through the rings and the formation, forcing Bei Guo Zhenming and Du Shanjun to withdraw.
• Xiao Hua emerged from the broken formation and challenged Leng Qingge, who warned that the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram still had greater power.

Leng Qingge and the other four cultivators summoned the Five Qi True Thunder through the Execution Stage and badly wounded Xiao Hua. Xiao Hua brought Little Lei and his Nascent Soul into the lightning, where the Nascent Soul began recovering after absorbing a portion of the thunder.

• Leng Qingge summoned Bei Guo Zhenming, Xi Bohong, Baihou Yuqin, and Jiang Yuming to form the Five Qi True Thunder with five silk handkerchiefs.
• The five cultivators fused their thunder-charged objects into an Execution Stage, which Xiao Hua recognized as resembling the damaged treasure in his space.
• The Execution Stage sealed Xiao Hua in place and struck him with Five Qi True Thunder, charring his right arm and crushing part of his back.
• Green-robed Xiao Hua persuaded Jade Slip Xiao Hua to expose their Nascent Soul to the thunder, and Xiao Hua brought out the Nascent Soul with Little Lei.
• Little Lei absorbed most of the third thunderbolt, while the Nascent Soul took a small portion, began to collapse, then drew silver-white crystalline threads from the void and slowly recovered.

Xiao Hua survived eighty-one bolts of Five Qi True Thunder and strengthened his Nascent Soul, but Leng Qingge and the other Confucian cultivators prepared to attack him with five powerful Wen Scrolls. The chapter ended as Leng Qingge unleashed Han Cheng’s “Law” character and Xi Bohong opened another scroll.

• Xiao Hua refined Metal Essence Gold Marrow while Little Lei shielded him from the Five Qi True Thunder.
• Xiao Hua endured eighty-one bolts of lightning until the five Confucian cultivators ran out of true qi and their Execution Stage collapsed.
• Little Lei woke briefly, then Xiao Hua sent it back into his space to sleep beneath the Thunder Water.
• Leng Qingge revealed that the five Confucian cultivators would use Wen Scrolls to unleash Five Sons Ascend to Officialdom.
• The five cultivators drew their scrolls, and Xiao Hua expanded his body and readied the As-You-Wish Staff and Sea-Overturning Seal.
• Leng Qingge opened Han Cheng’s Wen Scroll, summoning a giant “Law” character, and Xi Bohong opened another scroll.

Xiao Hua faced the combined attacks of five authentic Confucian Wen Scrolls in the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram and unleashed his many treasures and techniques to resist them. The scrolls were destroyed, and Xiao Hua survived the devastating strike, though gravely wounded, as his enemies stared in disbelief.

• Leng Qingge ordered Bei Guo Zhenming, Baihou Yuqin, and Jiang Yuming to open their Wen Scrolls and join his attack on Xiao Hua.
• The five Wen Scrolls unleashed the characters “Law,” “Earth,” and “Confucian,” a Yin Yang Fish, a Vast Qi River, and a five-colored auspicious cloud against Xiao Hua.
• Xiao Hua countered with sword lights, Innate True Water, a magical treasure cauldron, the Ice Mirror, his golden body, the As-You-Wish Staff, and spiritual flame.
• The clash shook the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram, drained the Wen Scrolls of their Vast Righteous Qi, and shattered them into fragments.
• Baihou Yuqin spotted Xiao Hua staggering up from the ground, badly injured but still alive, while the five attackers looked on in disbelief.

Xiao Hua survived the Five Wen Scrolls’ assault and destroyed the inscriptions sustaining the formation, leaving the five Confucian cultivators stunned. As the fight continued, Leng Qingge summoned a Five Dragon Imperial Seal whose power made the five “Sons” bow their heads.

• Bei Guo Zhenming urged Xi Bohong to attack the apparently exhausted Xiao Hua, but Xi Bohong and the others hesitated after noticing Xiao Hua had no blood on him.
• Xiao Hua used his weapons, spiritual flames, and three Heavenly Hearts to withstand the Wen Scrolls, destroy the character “Confucian,” and erase the remaining inscriptions with green seal script.
• Xiao Hua fell into the dust under the “Law” sword net, then prepared to keep fighting despite his injuries and weakened Nascent Soul.
• A golden light appeared above the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram, and five lightning bolts formed the five “Sons” above Xiao Hua.
• Leng Qingge’s Five Dragon Imperial Seal descended, radiating golden qi and causing the five “Sons” to bow.

Xiao Hua defeated the Son of Heaven’s Imperial Power, shattered the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram, and killed Leng Qingge. He spared Baihou Yuqin and secured her submission, then turned to Xi Bohong as Xi refused to hand over the Fire Qi Ascending to Origin cultivation technique.

• The Son of Heaven summoned the Five Dragon Imperial Seal and tried to suppress Xiao Hua, but Xiao Hua’s Sleeping Dragon swallowed the seal and five dragons, then struck down the Son of Heaven and shattered the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram.
• Xiao Hua broke Leng Qingge’s golden halberd with Sleeve Universe and killed her, absorbing her escaping Nascent Soul with Spirit Severing Primordial Light.
• Xiao Hua took Leng Qingge’s Cosmic Bag and recovered the formation diagram, while the surviving onlookers stayed still in fear.
• Baihou Yuqin gave Xiao Hua the silk handkerchief and cultivation materials, accepted his terms for Tongzhu Kingdom, and departed with her disciples.
• Xi Bohong offered to hand over the Fire Brocade Cloud Diagram but refused to surrender the Fire Qi Ascending to Origin cultivation technique.

Xiao Hua forced Xi Bohong, Bei Guo Zhenming, and Jiang Yuming to leave their Cosmic Bags and negotiated the fate of Tongzhu Academy and the Jiang family. After the others departed, he concealed his severe injuries, returned to the devastated Black Cloud Ridge, and was welcomed by the humans and demons he had protected.

• Xiao Hua took Xi Bohong's Cosmic Bag and let him depart after warning him about the Fanged Beast's self-destruction.
• Bei Guo Zhenming gave Xiao Hua a Cosmic Bag, promised copies of Tongzhu Academy's books for Black Wind Ridge, and asked him to help preserve the academy if Jiang Kingdom conquered Tongzhu Kingdom.
• Xiao Hua demanded that the Jiang family kill everyone involved in the attack on Qiyang Temple and erect a stele recording the matter; Jiang Yuming agreed to seek the family head's consent and surrendered his Cosmic Bag.
• After the groups left, Xiao Hua revealed that he had been gravely injured by the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram and returned to Black Wind Ridge.
• Xiao Hua withdrew the damaged Duotian Star Array, and the humans and demons gathered there knelt and welcomed him back.

Xiao Hua assigned the demons, Jiang Kingdom’s fighters, and Qin Xiaoyao their duties as he prepared to enter seclusion. Before retreating, he founded the Creation Sect, unlocked Liu Yi’s spiritual root, and began using the Duotian Star Array to protect his recovery.

• Xiao Hua ordered the Black Bear Spirit, Great King Golden Eagle, and Great King Ten Thousand Lions to organize their forces and guard Black Cloud Ridge.
• Xiao Hua told Xiao Jian and Princess Changling to use the respite after the National Preceptor’s death to fight for Jiang Kingdom, while warning them to stay alert to Tongzhu Kingdom’s remaining threats.
• Xiao Hua gave Qin Xiaoyao pills, cultivation techniques, and magical artifacts to distribute among the disciples and Daoist soldiers, named their new sect the Creation Sect, and asked him to investigate how to gain recognition from other Daoist cultivators.
• Xiao Hua used the Soul Bridge to remove the starlight restriction on Liu Yi’s spiritual root, allowing him to sense Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, and named him senior brother to Wang Zhengfei.
• Xiao Hua sealed the quiet chamber with jade talismans of the Duotian Star Array and entered seclusion as blood-colored radiance, black flames, and demonic blood enveloped him.

Xiao Hua recovered from his injuries and began cultivating through the Five Qi True Thunder while his various incarnations pursued their own training. The story then shifted to Tongzhu Kingdom, where its ruler asked his ministers about planned campaigns against four neighboring kingdoms.

• Xiao Hua spent ten days repairing his bloodline and body, then used Little Lei to activate the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram and summon the Five Qi True Thunder.
• Green-robed Xiao Hua controlled the injured Nascent Soul beneath the heavenly lightning while Xiao Hua read a Confucian scroll and cultivated.
• Xiao Hua's other incarnations continued their separate practices, including tempering the Five Dragon Imperial Seal and repairing a crack in his left arm.
• The ruler of Tongzhu Kingdom convened his ministers and asked about campaigns against Gu Kingdom, Jiming Kingdom, Gaza Kingdom, and Yifeng Kingdom.
• Minister Yu stepped forward and reported that he and the generals had completed their deliberations.

Tongzhu Kingdom’s king announced plans to conquer Jiming Kingdom and Yifeng Kingdom after claiming the Daoist remnants at Black Cloud Ridge would be defeated. A giant dragon seized the king’s dragon aura and the kingdom’s fortune, leaving the court stunned as the Prime Minister ordered the palace sealed and the incident concealed.

• Minister of War Yu Zhong and Generals Hao Hu and Wen Feng advised delaying attacks on Jiming Kingdom and Gaza Kingdom and targeting Confucian kingdoms instead.
• The king revealed that the National Teacher had set a powerful formation at Black Cloud Ridge and declared that Tongzhu Kingdom would conquer Jiming Kingdom and Yifeng Kingdom.
• The Five Dragon Imperial Seal was discovered missing from the king’s desk, and the king assured the ministers it was unrelated to National Teacher Leng.
• The king’s dragon aura burst through the royal hall’s roof, but a more powerful dragon emerged and swallowed it, stripping Tongzhu Kingdom’s fortune from the king.
• The Prime Minister ordered the Hall Guards to lock the palace gates and execute anyone who spread news of what had happened.

After the failed attack on Black Cloud Ridge, Ying Hong explained his secret alliance with the Immortal Palace and his plan to use Tongzhu Kingdom to expand its power and restrain Xi Kingdom. The Prime Father learned the true stakes and joined Ying Hong in considering how to eliminate Xiao Hua and recover the Immortal Palace treasures.

• Ying Hong ordered his generals to secure Tongzhu Kingdom’s forces and palace while the ministers withdrew to discuss countermeasures.
• Ying Hong and the Prime Father recalled Ying Hong’s childhood and discussed the meaning of the kingdom’s dragon-shaped fortune.
• Ying Hong revealed that an Immortal Palace envoy had given him an Immortal Palace Token and other treasures in exchange for supporting Tongzhu Kingdom’s rise.
• Ying Hong explained that he had planned to conquer Jiang Kingdom and then provoke a campaign against Gaza Kingdom, but Xiao Hua’s intervention disrupted the plan.
• Ying Hong told the Prime Father that he had given the Imperial Preceptor Immortal Palace treasures and the national jade seal to defeat Xiao Hua, but the attempt had failed and the treasures were lost.
• The Prime Father concluded that Tongzhu Kingdom had been drawn into the conflict between Immortals and Buddhas, and he and Ying Hong discussed eliminating Xiao Hua and recovering the treasures.

Ying Hong and the chancellor devised several schemes to turn Confucian and Daoist forces against Xiao Hua while pursuing the Immortal envoy’s demands. After more than a hundred days of recovery and cultivation, Xiao Hua sensed trouble approaching and worked with his Confucian incarnation to use the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram to transform the energy in his middle dantian.

• Ying Hong and the chancellor planned to lure Xiao Hua toward Qianyu Mountain by revealing that Jiang Kingdom’s Second National Teacher was imprisoned there, then enlist other forces to capture him.
• Ying Hong planned to spread claims that Xiao Hua’s Five Dragon Imperial Seal would make him a target of Confucian cultivators and that he would need to attend the Yaotai Gathering to become Jiang Kingdom’s National Teacher.
• Ying Hong revealed that the Immortal envoy wanted a hundred Daoist sect Nascent Souls and said he had imprisoned more than ten cultivators at Qianyu Mountain, including Jiang Kingdom’s Second National Teacher.
• Ying Hong proposed publicizing the Qi Stone mine beneath Black Cloud Ridge to provoke conflict among Daoist cultivators and weaken Xiao Hua.
• After more than a hundred days, Xiao Hua sensed trouble, entered his middle dantian, and discussed Confucian cultivation with his Confucian incarnation.
• Xiao Hua gave the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram to his Confucian incarnation, who arranged it within the middle dantian and began forcing out its existing True Qi.

Xiao Hua completed the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram Grand Formation and emerged from seclusion, where he encouraged his disciples Liu Yi and Wang Zhengfei in their cultivation. Du Shanjun delivered over a million Confucian book scrolls from Tongzhu Academy, then began to raise another important matter with Xiao Hua.

• Confucian cultivator Xiao Hua used the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram Grand Formation and Five Qi True Thunder to cultivate, while Jade Slip Xiao Hua learned that Vast Righteous Qi required continual reading.
• Xiao Hua emerged from seclusion and praised Liu Yi and Wang Zhengfei for supporting each other as they cultivated.
• Wang Zhengfei told Xiao Hua that he wanted to study painting and revealed that he could cultivate in dreams, so Xiao Hua encouraged him to continue painting while practicing Daoist Qi Refining.
• Xiao Hua invited Du Shanjun to meet him after learning that he had waited outside the cave dwelling through Xiao Hua's seclusion.
• Du Shanjun delivered a record of 1,126,403 book scrolls from Tongzhu Academy, and Xiao Hua agreed to honor his promise to Dean Bei Guo.
• Du Shanjun said he had another extremely important matter to ask Xiao Hua about.

Du Shanjun revealed his knowledge of Xiao Hua’s Duotian Star Array and negotiated to inspect the Five Qi True Thunder, which Xiao Hua needed for his Nascent Soul cultivation. After Xiao Hua handed over the five silk handkerchiefs, Du Shanjun used a strange divine ability to examine them, leaving Xiao Hua astonished by the Daoist runes in his eyes.

• Du Shanjun asked Xiao Hua to set up the Duotian Star Array and revealed that he knew its flaws and could help refine or complete its jade talisman.
• Du Shanjun told Xiao Hua that he wanted the Five Qi True Thunder, not the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram or the Five Dragon Imperial Seal.
• Xiao Hua refused to give up the Five Qi True Thunder because it could help him cultivate his Nascent Soul into a Hidden Nascent Soul and condense its Dao Foundation.
• Du Shanjun agreed not to take the treasure and offered Xiao Hua the choice of the Duotian Star Array or its jade-talisman refining method in exchange for a look.
• Xiao Hua produced the five silk handkerchiefs, and Du Shanjun examined them with a divine ability that filled his eyes with Daoist runes and five-colored light.

Xiao Hua examined Du Shanjun’s imitations of the Five Qi True Thunder and negotiated for cultivation methods, only to discover that Du Shanjun wanted to recruit him for an unexplained collaboration. The chapter ended with Du Shanjun giving Xiao Hua a divine-sense technique and a jade-talisman refinement method, while hinting that completing the Duotian Star Array would benefit him.

• Du Shanjun revealed that the five silk handkerchiefs were imitations of the Five Qi True Thunder, then offered Xiao Hua a choice of rewards for examining them.
• Xiao Hua asked for cultivation methods, and Du Shanjun briefly froze him with a chilling pressure before deciding he had misunderstood Xiao Hua’s intentions.
• Du Shanjun gave Xiao Hua an Ink Cloud Pupil containing cultivation methods from the Nascent Soul stage up to before Mahayana and proposed a collaboration.
• Du Shanjun explained that Xiao Hua could improve his cultivation, spells, magical treasures, and use of divine sense by working with him, but refused to reveal the collaboration’s purpose.
• Xiao Hua chose a method for using divine sense, and Du Shanjun gave him another Ink Cloud Pupil along with a jade-talisman refinement method, noting that the completed Duotian Star Array would benefit him.

Xiao Hua gave Du Shanjun the Five Dragon Imperial Seal and reflected on the powerful Daoist senior’s search for authentic Five Qi True Thunder. After Du Shanjun left, Qin Xiaoyao reported how the Creation Sect had recruited former Jiang Kingdom cultivators and Daoist soldiers, but had failed to recruit demons.

• Xiao Hua put away the Ink Cloud Pupils, and Du Shanjun asked him to hand over the Five Dragon Imperial Seal because it threatened to draw trouble to the Jiang Kingdom.
• Xiao Hua gave Du Shanjun the seal, and Du Shanjun said he could put it to use and would spread the word that Tongzhu Academy held it.
• After Du Shanjun departed, Xiao Hua suspected he sought authentic Five Qi True Thunder to benefit his Nascent Soul and advance his cultivation.
• Wang Zhengfei told Xiao Hua that Qin Xiaoyao had important matters to report, and Qin Xiaoyao described the Creation Sect’s new disciples and the 671 Daoist soldiers admitted to its Outer Gate.
• Qin Xiaoyao reported that he had found no demons suited to the Daoist school and that Black Bear, Golden Eagle, and White Lion had barred him from recruiting among the demons.