Chapter Summaries

Zhang Xiaohua defeated Chen Yang in the martial arts debate with a staff technique that blended several styles, winning the Breaking Saber Force. After Master Changsheng praised his skills and invited him to visit Great Forest Temple, Zhang Xiaohua returned to the high platform and presented Abbess Jingyi with the manuals he had won.

• Huben gave Zhang Xiaohua a Blunt Copper Rod, and Zhang Xiaohua began fighting Chen Yang with staff techniques he had recently learned.
• Zhang Xiaohua's staff work grew more fluent as he traded blows with Chen Yang and steadily drove him onto the defensive.
• Zhang Xiaohua's Heaven-Shocking Staff Strike sent Chen Yang's bronze figure flying and bent the Blunt Copper Rod, securing Zhang Xiaohua's victory.
• Master Changsheng announced Zhang Xiaohua as the winner and gave him the Breaking Saber Force, praising his strength and staff skills.
• Master Changsheng asked whether Zhang Xiaohua's techniques came from Great Forest Temple, and Zhang Xiaohua answered ambiguously before agreeing to visit when fate allowed.
• Zhang Xiaohua returned to the high platform and handed the Breaking Saber Force and Flowing Water to Abbess Jingyi.

Zhang Xiaohua defeated Chen Yang, reclaimed the Breaking Saber Force, and watched Abbess Jingyi announce the Incense-Passing Cult and Shuiyunjian’s return to the martial world. Abbess Jingyi then revealed that the Misty Sect had left the cult and elected Zhang Xiaohu as its leader, before a powerful divine sense interrupted the gathering.

• Abbess Jingyi let Zhang Xiaohua keep the Breaking Saber Force and Flowing Water, then announced the conclusion of the sword discussions.
• Bai Yanqiu declared that Shuiyunjian would enter the martial world and inherit the Divine Blade Sect’s legacy.
• Abbess Jingyi announced the Misty Sect’s return, prompting Alliance Leader Zhang to challenge her account of its departure from the Incense-Passing Cult.
• Abbess Jingyi said the Misty Sect had left Dianchi Lake months earlier and revealed that Zhang Xiaohu had been elected its leader.
• Zhang Xiaohua reacted in surprise, and Abbess Jingyi warned him not to visit Zhang Xiaohu under the Incense-Passing Cult’s banner.
• A powerful divine sense swept into Huaiyu Palace, changing Abbess Jingyi’s expression as she was about to end the gathering.

Di Shitian arrived at the Martial Arts Gathering and revealed that Meng was the current Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Dragon Sect. He began questioning Zhang Xiaohua about Meng’s past, then told him to stay because the matter concerned him too.

• Di Shitian flew into Huaiyu Palace, where Abbess Jingyi, Elder Changsheng, Bai Yanqiu, and Alliance Leader Zhang greeted him.
• Abbess Jingyi ended the gathering and took Di Shitian away to discuss Heavenly Dragon Sect affairs; Alliance Leader Zhang hurried off toward Misty Peak.
• Peacock summoned Meng and Zhang Xiaohua to a restricted small palace, where Di Shitian examined Zhang Xiaohua and offered to teach him cultivation methods at the Heavenly Dragon Sect.
• Zhang Xiaohua recounted how he had met Meng, and Di Shitian explained that Meng’s mother had been the previous Holy Maiden and Meng was the current one.
• Di Shitian asked Abbess Jingyi to leave and stopped Zhang Xiaohua from following her, saying the matter concerned him too.

Di Shitian revealed that Meng was his daughter and the Heavenly Dragon Sect’s Saintess, and urged Zhang Xiaohua to return with her and train to become the next Di Shitian. Zhang Xiaohua stayed behind to settle his affairs while Meng agreed to return to the sect, promising to wait for him.

• Di Shitian sealed the palace hall and told Meng that she had once been brought to the Heavenly Dragon Sect as a child, treated for years, and later disappeared.
• Di Shitian revealed that Meng was his daughter with the former Saintess, making her the current Saintess and a central link in the sect’s succession.
• Di Shitian explained that the Saintess’s chosen husband became the next Di Shitian and urged Zhang Xiaohua to cultivate the Demonic Path, offering him his own cultivation if necessary.
• Meng agreed to return to the Heavenly Dragon Sect, while Zhang Xiaohua declined for now because he had other matters to handle and accepted Di Shitian’s token.
• Di Shitian left Zhang Xiaohua and Meng alone, and they promised to reunite as Meng embraced him.

After Meng's identity as the Heavenly Dragon Sect Saintess strained her ties with Chen Chen and Peacock, Di Shitian summoned her and Zhang Xiaohua. At Huaiyu Palace, Abbess Jingyi let Meng depart and surrendered Zhang Xiaohua's Protector disciple token to the Heavenly Dragon Sect.

• Chen Chen confronted Meng and Zhang Xiaohua about Meng's hidden identity and Zhang Xiaohua's relationship with her.
• Peacock warned that Meng's status as a Heavenly Dragon Sect Saintess separated her from the Incense-Passing Cult, but Meng still called Peacock and Chen Chen her senior sisters.
• Di Shitian summoned Meng and Zhang Xiaohua, and Abbess Jingyi wished Meng well while Meng said she wanted to visit her former master at Yi Xiang Peak.
• Di Shitian refused Meng's request and announced that Zhang Xiaohua did not need to remain a Protector disciple of the Incense-Passing Cult.
• Zhang Xiaohua handed over his identity token, and Abbess Jingyi had Chen Chen take it.

Zhang Xiaohua parted from Meng and the Incense-Passing Cult after Di Shitian left with her, while Qin Shiyue recognized his resemblance to Ren Xiaoyao. After leaving Huaiyu Peak, Zhang Xiaohua secretly flew toward Yi Xiang Peak, where two fast-moving shadows converged on him.

• Meng asked Zhang Xiaohua to join her at the Heavenly Dragon Sect, and they promised to remember each other and meet again.
• Di Shitian took Meng away, and the Heavenly Dragon Sect party departed after Qin Shiyue told Zhang Xiaohua about meeting someone named Ren Xiaoyao near Pingyang City five years earlier.
• Zhang Xiaohua thanked Abbess Jingyi for her care and offered to help the Incense-Passing Cult, but Abbess Jingyi dismissed him and urged him not to join the Demonic Cult.
• Zhang Xiaohua said farewell to Kong Que and Chen Chen, then rode down Huaiyu Peak on Four Unlike.
• Zhang Xiaohua left the mountain path, concealed himself, and flew toward Yi Xiang Peak before stopping in midair as two black shadows raced toward him.

Zhang Xiaohua reunited with Little Yellow and Xiaohei, then left the Incense-Passing Cult and learned that the Misty Sect had departed for home. Realizing he needed to travel faster to reach Second Brother before the coming battle, he prepared to leave Huanhuan behind and use the Flying Technique.

• Little Yellow and Xiaohei reunited with Zhang Xiaohua, then bickered over whether he was their mother or father while they cultivated and ate Qi Stones.
• Zhang Xiaohua abandoned his plan to collect the Xiubei Stele and returned toward Huaiyu Peak with Little Yellow and Xiaohei flying above him.
• Zhang Xiaohua rode Huanhuan to Jinghai Lake, questioned a Ruijin Hall disciple about the Misty Sect, and learned they had left more than a month earlier.
• After leaving the Incense-Passing Cult, Zhang Xiaohua realized riding Huanhuan would take too long to reach Pingyang City before the battle between the Misty Sect and the Righteous Path Alliance.
• Zhang Xiaohua decided to leave Huanhuan hidden in the forest so he could use the Flying Technique to catch up with the Misty Sect.

Zhang Xiaohua found Zhang Ping'er being coerced by Garuda and rescued her when she jumped from a cliff. He then faced Garuda's attack as Xiaohuang and Xiaohei absorbed the black mist and sword lights appeared around Garuda.

• Zhang Xiaohua spotted Zhang Ping'er with Garuda's party and learned that Garuda had pressured the Incense-Passing Cult to hand her over.
• Garuda threatened Zhang Ping'er, but she refused him and jumped from the cliff rather than submit.
• Zhang Xiaohua caught Zhang Ping'er in midair and revealed himself as an immortal cultivator.
• Garuda launched black mist at Zhang Xiaohua, but Xiaohuang and Xiaohei absorbed it.
• Eight streams of sword light appeared near Garuda as he tried to retrieve the black mist.

Zhang Xiaohua intervened when Garuda tried to take Zhang Ping'er, and learned she had been unwillingly given to the Heavenly Dragon Sect’s Garuda as a concubine. After Zhang Ping'er confirmed she would rather die than go with Garuda, Zhang Xiaohua challenged him, but Garuda’s crimson mist blocked Zhang Xiaohua’s attacks and left him searching for another weapon.

• Garuda dodged Zhang Xiaohua’s eight flying swords, which struck his black bottle without breaking it, while Xiaohei and Xiaohuang destroyed part of the black mist.
• Garuda brought out a bone-shaped magical artifact, and Zhang Xiaohua sent the Dragon Binding Ring toward it as the two argued over why Garuda had taken Zhang Ping'er.
• Garuda claimed Zhang Ping'er was his concubine, but Zhang Xiaohua asked her what she wanted, and she said she would rather die than go with Garuda.
• Zhang Xiaohua decided to defend Zhang Ping'er, and Garuda challenged him while invoking the Heavenly Dragon Sect.
• Garuda surrounded himself with crimson mist that trapped Zhang Xiaohua’s divine sense and resisted his Dragon Binding Ring and fire talisman.
• Zhang Xiaohua realized he had forgotten another weapon and prepared to use it.

Zhang Xiaohua used the Wind Pearl to scatter Garuda’s crimson mist and drive off the Heavenly Dragon Sect members, then agreed to take Zhang Ping'er into the Big Dipper Sect and sent her toward Hui Chun Valley on Huanhuan. After recovering his true qi, he tested the seven-section bamboo with his blood and discovered it had formed a blood connection with him.

• Zhang Xiaohua recalled how the Wind Pearl had become docile after his blood touched it, then used its sinister wind to disperse Garuda’s mist and crack the white bones above him.
• Garuda fled with the damaged white bones, and the other Heavenly Dragon Sect members withdrew while Zhang Xiaohua was too drained to pursue them.
• Zhang Ping'er asked Zhang Xiaohua to accept her as a disciple, and he agreed to test her aptitude later and sent her with a communication jade talisman toward Hui Chun Valley.
• Zhang Xiaohua persuaded Zhang Ping'er to ride Huanhuan to Hui Chun Valley, then flew north, retrieved the Prajna Heavy Sword, and stopped at a hunter's hut to recover his true qi.
• After examining the Wind Pearl, Zhang Xiaohua dripped his blood onto the seven-section bamboo and saw it glow with Buddhist radiance as he felt a blood connection form.

Zhang Xiaohua examined newly claimed Buddhist artifacts and cultivation manuals, learning how they might help him establish the Big Dipper Sect. After claiming the Haotian Mirror, he discovered it could pierce space and travel through time and space, leaving him stunned by its power.

• Zhang Xiaohua claimed the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree and Nine-Ranked Lotus Platform with his blood, but found their names and remaining information of little use.
• Zhang Xiaohua studied Fire Dragon True Person's inheritance and realized its lower-dantian techniques could train meridians he knew, though he planned to focus on the Carefree Heart Sutra first.
• Zhang Xiaohua read Breaking Saber Force and Flowing Water Softness, judged their methods of entering the Dao through martial arts valuable, and decided the Big Dipper Sect should preserve copies.
• Zhang Xiaohua learned that the Qi Nurturing Pill helped cultivators sense Primordial Qi and saw the resources for establishing the Big Dipper Sect coming together.
• Zhang Xiaohua claimed the Haotian Mirror and learned it could reflect attacks, reveal hidden things, and pierce space to travel through time and space.

Zhang Xiaohua searched north for Zhang Xiaohu while learning that the Haotian Mirror was too demanding for his cultivation. He overheard Wen Wenhai explain that Zhang Xiaohu had healed every Misty Manor disciple, leaving Lu Yueming astonished and the group’s leadership unsettled.

• Zhang Xiaohua memorized the Haotian Mirror’s first refinement incantation but found that its attacks would exhaust his true qi.
• Zhang Xiaohua practiced the Big Dipper Divine Fist and Heaven-Piercing Staff Techniques before flying north and asking for directions along the way.
• Zhang Xiaohua spotted Zhou Mufeng traveling with a Misty Sect caravan and then searched for Zhang Xiaohu among other groups of disciples.
• Zhang Xiaohua overheard Lu Yueming and Wen Wenhai discuss Abbess Jingyi’s reasons for releasing the Misty Sect disciples and appointing Zhang Xiaohu as their leader.
• Wen Wenhai told Lu Yueming that Zhang Xiaohu had healed every disciple at Misty Manor, and Lu Yueming wondered whether Zhang Xiaohu had encountered an immortal.

Zhang Xiaohua overheard Wen Wenhai and Lu Yueming discuss the trials facing Zhang Xiaohu as Misty Sect leader, then hurried to Pingyang City and intercepted a Righteous Path Alliance messenger. He reached Zhang Xiaohu’s camp and reunited with his brother, Changge, and Chen Chen.

• Zhang Xiaohua overheard Wen Wenhai explain that Zhang Xiaohu’s martial arts could grow powerful through the combination of the Misty Divine Art and Su Huan Cultivation Method, while Lu Yueming warned that Martial Uncle Hu and Xiaohu’s weak martial arts posed challenges to his leadership.
• Zhang Xiaohua learned that the Righteous Path Alliance had sent a messenger ahead to Misty Peak and flew north toward Pingyang City.
• Zhang Xiaohua saw Xu Jie obtain a horse from Zhou Chengxian by identifying himself as a Righteous Path Alliance disciple, then immobilized Xu Jie and killed the horse before continuing on.
• Zhang Xiaohua arrived at a village camp and found Du Feng on guard, then used his divine sense to locate Zhang Xiaohu, Changge, and Chen Chen in a nearby courtyard.
• Zhang Xiaohua startled Zhang Xiaohu, Changge, and Chen Chen by appearing in their room, and Zhang Xiaohu calmly welcomed him.

Zhang Xiaohua reunited with Zhang Xiaohu, Changge, and Chen Chen in Pingyang City and learned that Abbess Jingyi had poisoned his second brother. He cured Zhang Xiaohu with a detoxification pill and revealed that he had left the Incense-Passing Cult, leaving the others curious about where he would go next.

• Zhang Xiaohua arrived secretly and reunited with Zhang Xiaohu, Changge, and Chen Chen, who explained the Misty Sect's plans and their anger at Abbess Jingyi.
• Zhang Xiaohua raged when Chen Chen said Abbess Jingyi had poisoned Zhang Xiaohu, smashed the table, and vanished to avoid the disciples who came to investigate.
• Zhang Xiaohua examined Zhang Xiaohu and gave him a detoxification pill, which purged the poison in an embarrassing way; he then gave Zhang Xiaohu three more pills to take.
• Zhang Xiaohua told Zhang Xiaohu, Changge, and Chen Chen that he had left the Incense-Passing Cult, and he declined Chen Chen's suggestion that he join it again.

Zhang Xiaohua reunited with Zhang Xiaohu, Changge, and Chen Chen, revealed his plans to found the Big Dipper Sect and his connection to the Immortal Path, and learned more about Abbess Jingyi’s scheme involving the Misty Sect. He planned to return to Guo Village before helping Zhang Xiaohu take Misty Manor, while his reunion with Meng remained uncertain.

• Zhang Xiaohua told Zhang Xiaohu that he intended to establish the Big Dipper Sect, then explained that he had flown to catch up with them and might be an Immortal Path practitioner.
• Zhang Xiaohua asked Changge and Chen Chen about the Misty Sect’s split from the Incense-Passing Cult, and Chen Chen recounted how Abbess Jingyi had manipulated Zhang Xiaohu and the sect through Mocu Palace.
• Zhang Xiaohua learned that Zhang Xiaohu and Changge planned to return to Guo Village after settling the Misty Sect’s affairs, and he said he would go home first to reassure their parents.
• Zhang Xiaohua told them that Meng had returned to the Heavenly Dragon Sect with Di Shitian, leaving him unsure how they could be together.
• Zhang Xiaohua handed Zhang Xiaohu a jade talisman and told him to crush it near Misty Manor so he could come help.

Zhang Xiaohua returned to Guo Village and reunited with his family, where he discovered that Ji Xiaohua had become part of their household. Ji Xiaohua revealed that his mother had died after bringing the message Zhang Xiaohua had requested, leaving him to realize he had forgotten to check for news about Zhang Xiaohu.

• Zhang Xiaohua considered combining the Puppet Pill and Soul-Scattering Powder into a new drug before flying toward Guo Village.
• Zhang Xiaohua noticed a beggar leave Guo Village and ride north with a waiting accomplice, but turned his attention to his family’s courtyard.
• Zhang Xiaohua reunited with Guo Sufi, Zhang Cai, Zhang Xiaolong, Liu Qian, and his young nephew Zhang Bairen.
• Zhang Xiaohua failed to recognize Ji Xiaohua, whose bald head had been cured and who now lived with the family.
• Ji Xiaohua told Zhang Xiaohua that his mother had died after delivering the requested message, and Zhang Xiaohua remembered asking Chu Yunfei to send news of Zhang Xiaohu to Songning Town.

Zhang Xiaohua returned to Guo Village, learned that Madam Zhang had died after carrying news to his family, and welcomed Ji Xiaohua into the Zhang household. As the family settled in for the night, Zhang Bairen joined Zhang Xiaohua on the heated bed, while a band of riders approached the village.

• Ji Xiaohua told Zhang Xiaohua that Zhang Xiaohu was safe in the south and would return with his second sister-in-law soon.
• Zhang Xiaohua and Ji Xiaohua paid their respects at Madam Zhang's grave, and Zhang Xiaohua promised to care for Ji Xiaohua and help him become a great man.
• Ji Xiaohua explained how Madam Zhang had traveled to deliver Chu Yunfei's message, fallen ill, and died after reaching Guo Village; the Zhang family had taken Ji Xiaohua in.
• Zhang Xiaohua joked with his family about having two Xiaohuas and revealed that Zhang Xiaohu had found two wives.
• Zhang Bairen cried until Liu Qian placed him beside Zhang Xiaohua, where he settled down and seemed to draw in starlight.
• Ji Xiaohua fell asleep while keeping watch as about twenty riders galloped toward Guo Village.

Bandits from West Cui Mountain raided Guo Village, convinced the Zhang family possessed Misty Sect wealth, and broke into their home. Zhang Xiaolong, Liu Qian, Zhang Cai, Guo Sufi, and Ji Xiaohua activated protective jade talismans, but the bandits surrounded them and advanced.

• The youngest persuaded the boss that Zhang Xiaohu had hidden Misty Sect wealth with the Zhang family and led the bandits toward Guo Village.
• The bandits split up to raid the clan chief’s home and the Zhang family’s home, then threatened the village into silence.
• Zhang Xiaolong, Liu Qian, Ji Xiaohua, Zhang Cai, and Guo Sufi gathered inside and crushed jade talismans to protect themselves.
• The bandits forced open the Zhang family’s gate and surrounded the family, while the boss leered at Liu Qian and ordered his men to seize everyone.

Bandits raided Zhang Cai’s home, but Zhang Xiaolong, Ji Xiaohua, Liu Qian, Guo Sufi, and Zhang Cai were protected by jade talismans while fire talismans killed five attackers. As the bandits tried to capture the family, Zhang Xiaolong stalled them by revealing hidden savings, but the leader finally ordered the house set on fire.

• Zhang Xiaolong and Ji Xiaohua threw jade talismans that ignited five bandits, whose flames grew stronger when the others poured water on them and consumed them completely.
• The bandits who returned from the village chief’s home attacked the family, but invisible defensive barriers stopped their hands and weapons from reaching them.
• The leader ordered the bandits to bind the protected family with ropes, so Zhang Xiaolong offered the family’s hidden valuables to buy time.
• Zhang Xiaolong directed the bandits to money in his room and woodshed, while Liu Qian pretended to expose his secret savings and revealed that the woodshed box was empty.
• Zhang Cai directed the bandits to more banknotes, but the leader rejected the amount and ordered the family driven into the main hall so the bandits could set it on fire.

West Cui Mountain bandits forced the Zhang family to reveal five chests of gold and jewels, then buried the treasure and set the house on fire to kill the family and conceal their tracks. Zhang Xiaolong had hidden Zhang Xiaohua, Zhang Bairen, Xiaohei, and Xiaohuang in the small room, leaving their fate uncertain as the flames spread.

• The bandit leader threatened the Zhang family and ordered Zhang Xiaolong to dig up their hidden valuables.
• Zhang Xiaolong hid Zhang Xiaohua, Zhang Bairen, Xiaohei, and Xiaohuang in the small room while he and Ji Xiaohua pretended to dig.
• The bandits uncovered five chests of gold and jewels, but they could not carry the immense haul away.
• The leader ordered three bandits to bury the chests again and decided to burn the Zhang family alive to hide the digging.
• The bandits drove the family into the main hall and threw torches onto the wheat straw, setting the house ablaze.