Chapter Summaries

The Dragon Lord and Dragon Consort set out from the Dragon Palace on an imperial procession to visit the Divine Land, while people and Daoists along the Huai River prepared to welcome them. As the procession entered the river, its blessed wind and rain healed illnesses among the common folk, and the Dragon Lord’s golden palace rose from the sea before the sunrise.

• The Dragon Lord and Dragon Consort dressed for their journey, then boarded the Jade Carriage as Ni Wenyu led the assembled imperial procession out of the Dragon Palace.
• Xu Shou and Zhang Shun inspected salt-boiling households on both banks and told local residents to gather safely at the Huai River to welcome the Dragon King.
• Liu Wenfeng led the Crested Crane Temple disciples to the estuary, where they lit ritual lanterns and coordinated security with Song Ruifeng of the Imperial City Office.
• The Dragon procession’s ceremonial music and enormous banners entered the Huai River, bringing warm, sweet rain that restored Mother Zhang’s sight and healed other local residents.
• A musicians’ formation followed the banners upstream, and nine colored flood dragons rose from the sea carrying a golden palace before the red sun.

The Yellow Sea dragon kingdom’s grand procession impressed the Eastern Daoist Sect as it traveled toward Poyang Lake, where Three Pure Ones Mountain prepared an elaborate welcome. As the Dragon Lord and Dragon Consort entered the lake at dawn, the Dragon Lord explained the auspicious rites that awaited them.

• Liu Wenfeng watched the Yellow Sea dragon kingdom’s vast procession of dragons, officials, gifts, guards, and attendants travel upstream from Sheyang County.
• The procession stopped overnight at Thunder Pool Marsh, where sects rushed to present visiting cards and seek an audience with the Dragon Lord.
• At Poyang Lake, Lan Yuqing thanked Cheng Xinzhan for helping him and discussed their alliance, their grudge against Dragon-Tiger Mountain, and the preparations to welcome the Dragon King.
• At dawn, the Dragon Lord and Dragon Consort set out from Thunder Pool Marsh, and the Dragon Consort excitedly watched the welcoming rites unfold across Poyang Lake.
• The Dragon Lord explained the auspicious meanings of the lotuses, Jade Zhi, gem trees, and Sweet Springs, noting that the procession had not yet reached the second welcome.

Cheng Xinzhan welcomed Qingyang and the Yellow Sea Dragon Kingdom to Poyang Lake with celestial rites and summoned the lingering Dharma presence of the Poyang Dragon King. Cheng Xinzhan and Qingyang then concluded their alliance before the gathered sects, leaving Three Pure Ones Mountain and the Yellow Sea bound as brotherly realms.

• The Dragon Lord and Dragon Consort emerged from their carriage at Sweet Spring Gate as the procession reached Cheng Xinzhan on his bamboo raft.
• Cheng Xinzhan performed the Steps of Yu and called forth the sun, moon, and stars to welcome the Yellow Sea Dragon Kingdom beneath the Three Luminaries in the Same Sky.
• Cheng Xinzhan recited the Supreme Cavern Abyss Divine Incantation Scripture and summoned the lingering Dharma presence of the Poyang Dragon King, who welcomed Qingyang into Gan.
• Cheng Xinzhan and Qingyang ascended the ritual altar at Poyang Lake and exchanged formal declarations establishing an alliance between Three Pure Ones Mountain and the Yellow Sea Dragon Kingdom.
• The two leaders dropped their jade oath discs into the lake as the witnesses applauded, and the Poyang Dragon King vanished.

Cheng Xinzhan traveled among Gezao Mountain and Sanyuan Mountain to teach the Dao before journeying to Liaodong to gather plain wind gang at Taiji Gorge. After collecting a full liang of gang dew, he left for Juqü Mountain to keep his promise and learn the latest news about the Ten Thousand Corpses Sea and the Three Corpses.

• Cheng Xinzhan accepted Daoist Shengying's invitation to teach at Gezao Mountain for three months, then went to Sanyuan Mountain after Daoist Zhenchang invited him.
• Daoist Nengyue argued with the Pure Brightness School over Cheng Xinzhan's teaching schedule, and Cheng Xinzhan promised to visit Juqü Mountain before the Beginning of Winter and stay longer there.
• Cheng Xinzhan traveled to Taiji Gorge in Liaodong, reinforced Wu Qingbo's concealment formation, and prepared to gather plain wind gang.
• Cheng Xinzhan and his two incarnations collected twelve zhu of gang dew during one wind event and four zhu during another, gaining a full liang in total.
• Cheng Xinzhan sealed Taiji Gorge as a future retreat and wind-gathering site, then flew south to Juqü Mountain.

Cheng Xinzhan completed his lecture on the forty-eighth point of Spirit Preservation and answered questions about auspicious and forbidden days. After he revealed the Starlight and Moonlight Purifying Body Spell for female cultivators, True Person Chengchu confirmed it worked and announced that the four sects had honored him as the Benevolent and Sagacious Dharma Master.

• Cheng Xinzhan lectured on heavenly timing and earthly advantages, explaining when Spirit Preservation was suitable or forbidden.
• Cheng Xinzhan answered questions about Wu days and natal days that coincided with Four Severances, citing methods to overcome the restrictions.
• A female cultivator asked how women could avoid interruptions to Spirit Preservation from the red dragon, and Cheng Xinzhan described his Starlight and Moonlight Purifying Body Spell.
• True Person Chengchu appeared and confirmed that the spell worked, allowing female Daoists to practice without the red dragon's interference.
• True Person Chengchu announced that Shangqing, Numinous Treasure, Pure Brightness, and Divine Empyrean had honored Cheng Xinzhan as the Benevolent and Sagacious Dharma Master and would compile his teachings and spell into the Shangqing Daoist Canon.

Cheng Xinzhan returned to Yellow Sulfur Island and found Yellow Elder Immortal tormented by the Alligator King and trapped under a leech’s threat. After learning that Red Corpse’s Fire Dragon Island was expanding into the area, Cheng offered to seek Red Corpse’s help so Yellow Sulfur Island could join him.

• Cheng Xinzhan used concealment to enter Yellow Sulfur Island and found Yellow Elder Immortal alone in the Tower of No Return, gorging on fish.
• When Yellow Elder Immortal attacked, Cheng immobilized him and struck his Liver Palace with the Withering and Flourishing Life-Urging Spell, forcing him to answer questions.
• Yellow Elder Immortal explained that the Alligator King had eaten Yunying and forced him to eat five hundred jin of fish each day while a leech threatened his life.
• Yellow Elder Immortal described Red Corpse’s occupation of Stone Forest Island, its renaming as Fire Dragon Island, and its encroachment on Yellow Sulfur Island’s waters.
• Cheng offered to ask the Crimson Corpse Divine Lord to remove the leech and allow Yellow Sulfur Island to join Fire Dragon Island.

Cheng Xinzhan disguised himself as Lai Youde and entered Fire Dragon Island as an envoy from Yellow Sulfur Island, seeking to arrange its surrender to Red Corpse. He persuaded General Tang Yusheng to support the deal by promising him credit for the surrender and revealing a hidden deposit of white yang sulfur ore.

• Lai Youde and Kong Jufu approached Fire Dragon Island and requested an audience with the Divine Lord on behalf of Yellow Sulfur Island.
• General Tang Yusheng recognized the envoys, learned that Huang Laosan wished to surrender, and escorted them onto the island.
• Cheng Xinzhan observed that Red Corpse had incorporated the Red-Haired Ancestor’s dragon corpse into Fire Dragon Island’s protective formation.
• Cheng Xinzhan revealed that Huang Laosan needed the Divine Lord to remove the leech worm the Alligator King had planted in his stomach aperture.
• Cheng Xinzhan convinced Tang Yusheng that his military campaign had prompted the surrender and offered him credit for the discovery of a white yang sulfur deposit beneath Yellow Sulfur Island.

Cheng Xinzhan planned to weaken the Three Corpses Cult by separating its decent Yin Clan members from its villains, while helping Crimson Corpse take control of Yellow Sulfur Island. The Alligator King failed to retake the island or trigger his hidden thunder charges, and left considering an alliance against the Corpse Kings.

• Cheng Xinzhan argued that the Righteous Path needed to guide the Yin Clan rather than leave its members to the Demon Cult, and explained why he had infiltrated the Three Corpses Cult.
• Tang Yusheng agreed to meet Cheng Xinzhan and Kong Jufu on Paulownia Leaf Island, and offered both of them positions under him if they joined the cult.
• Huang Laosan reported that Crimson Corpse had removed the leech worm planted by the Alligator King, and Cheng Xinzhan withdrew the Samadhi True Fire spark he had secretly placed in Huang Laosan.
• Cheng Xinzhan and Huang Laosan planted Crimson Corpse’s formation flags around Yellow Sulfur Island using the marked sea chart to bring its waters under Crimson Corpse’s control.
• The Alligator King attacked Yellow Sulfur Island, but Crimson Corpse’s Dragon Pearl incarnation stopped his Golden Melon Sledgehammer and fought him to a standstill.
• The Alligator King failed to detonate his buried Golden Sun Thunderclap Divine Thunder, then departed considering allies, while Crimson Corpse privately coveted his body for corpse refinement.

Cheng Xinzhan and Kong Jufu began their service as True Disciples of Fire Dragon Island’s Funiu Guard Retainer Hall, where Cheng learned the hall’s rules and received permission to choose corpses to nourish. The chapter left him in the guard’s Corpse Residence, preparing to select corpses under limits based on their potential.

• Cheng Xinzhan and Kong Jufu went to Funiu Mound to report to the Retainer Hall after Tang Yusheng secured them True Disciple positions.
• Cheng reviewed how the Sea-Covering Great Sage had divided the Three Corpses’ territories and how Fire Dragon Island organized its guards and halls.
• Qi Xiuyuan registered Cheng as Lai Youde and learned from him that his former Walking Corpse had died during a clash with Qinghao Island.
• Qi Xiuyuan took Cheng to the Funiu Guard’s Corpse Residence and explained how its four courtyards classified corpses by origin and potential.
• Qi Xiuyuan told Cheng that he could choose unlimited corpses from the first two courtyards and one each from the third and fourth, with another available after he nurtured intelligence in a higher-courtyard corpse.

Cheng Xinzhan entered the Yin Residence and selected a Divine Empyrean School Supreme Grand Elder’s dharma shedding from the fourth courtyard, then chose a Green-Faced Ghost Crab from the third courtyard as a combat corpse. After joining Fire Dragon Island as a True Disciple, he was asked whether he would support expansion toward the Black Abyss Sea or the Golden Broth Sea.

• Cheng Xinzhan accepted the risks of taking an extraordinary corpse and followed the old hall master into the fourth courtyard.
• Cheng Xinzhan recognized a corpse as the dharma shedding of a Divine Empyrean School Supreme Grand Elder and chose it despite the old hall master’s warning that its previous keepers had failed.
• Cheng Xinzhan selected a Green-Faced Ghost Crab from the third courtyard to serve as a strong and useful corpse attendant.
• Cheng Xinzhan fooled the Scent Hound by using hibernating dragon yin saliva baleful intent and altering his aura.
• Cheng Xinzhan received a jade slip, a Corpse-Collecting Bag, and a Fire Dragon Island token, becoming a True Disciple.
• The old hall master told Cheng Xinzhan that the Funiu Guard would expand toward the Black Abyss Sea or the Golden Broth Sea and asked which side he would choose.

Cheng Xinzhan arranged the Green-Faced Ghost’s corpse for spirit-nurturing while cultivating his own path toward nascent soul formation. The corpse showed only a slight twitch, and Cheng began refining his true rosy clouds with heartflame as he worked toward condensing them into a seed.

• Cheng Xinzhan told Kong Jufu about the coming war and urged him to enter seclusion and form his Golden Core before the others could choose corpses.
• Cheng Xinzhan stored the Divine Empyrean Dharma Shedding in a coffin and prepared the Green-Faced Ghost’s corpse for the Great Yin Five-Elements Spirit-Awakening Altar.
• Cheng Xinzhan performed the altar rite with five-element implements, and the buried demon corpse twitched briefly before falling still.
• Cheng Xinzhan reviewed the progress of his internal cultivation and recalled Wen Sukong’s advice to forge his own method for condensing an immortal sprout.
• Cheng Xinzhan used his Heartflame Palace Scorching divine ability to send solar fire into the Crimson Palace and refine his true rosy clouds.

Cheng Xinzhan awakened the Demon Corpse Huo Zhongyuan, then joined a Funiu Guard expedition after pretending to have formed his core. The Guard launched an attack on Gourd Island, and Cheng Xinzhan led a group assigned to capture and hold eight nearby islets.

• Cheng Xinzhan used Xiaobao to make Kong Jufu lose focus during core formation, and Kong Jufu died when his Yin corpse devoured him.
• Cheng Xinzhan awakened the Green-Faced Ghost as Huo Zhongyuan and put the talkative Demon Corpse in his Corpse Bag before leaving Fire Dragon Island.
• The old hall master appointed Cheng Xinzhan to lead the newcomers and ordered them to clear eight islets southeast of Gourd Island.
• The old hall master explained that the Funiu Guard was joining the Great Protector's offensive against the Golden Broth Sea, and warned Cheng Xinzhan not to sacrifice his Yin corpse before himself.
• Cheng Xinzhan's group flew toward Gourd Island, where they were tasked with capturing and defending the nearby islets.

Cheng Xinzhan led the Retainer Hall newcomers in conquering the eight islands of the Golden Broth Sea, testing and observing his companions as they fought. After the last island fell, a giant red umbrella descended over Gourd Island, where battle was raging.

• Cheng Xinzhan chose the least-defended island and led the newcomers in battle, secretly helping them survive while assessing their abilities and backgrounds.
• The newcomers captured islands one by one, and Cheng Xinzhan planted command flags and left wounded fighters behind to guard them until only Liu Jushui and two others remained with him.
• Cheng Xinzhan sent Fu Miao, Bai Zhenzhen, and Huo Zhongyuan to raise waves against the final island’s Golden Ao Formation, then secretly strengthened the second wave with baleful intent so it shattered the formation.
• Cheng Xinzhan and Liu Jushui led the assault, defeated the island’s three Golden Core cultivators, and secured all eight islands.
• Liu Jushui revealed extraordinary swordsmanship while fighting the island’s demons, and Cheng Xinzhan noticed his skill before helping finish the last opponent.
• A voice mocked Wei Liyang and Tang Yusheng on Gourd Island, then an enormous dark-red umbrella appeared in the sky and descended over the island.

Cheng Xinzhan’s allies forced the defenders to abandon Gourd Island after the Drought Demon Dharma Form cracked their giant Ao, and Cheng earned a promotion and valuable resources from Tang Yusheng. He then met with Huang Laosan and secretly summoned Steward Che Liangcai, whose body revealed a Long-Horned Shield Bug when Cheng changed into the form of a purple-robed Daoist.

• The Drought Demon Dharma Form struck the Dragon-Headed Giant Ao until it cracked, while the Ao King and Red Corpse negotiated and the defenders fled Gourd Island.
• Cheng Xinzhan and Liu Jushui cleaned up the battlefield, and Cheng later credited Liu Jushui, Fu Miao, and Bai Zhenzhen for their contributions to Tang Yusheng.
• Tang Yusheng promoted Cheng Xinzhan to deputy hall master and gave him Yangstone Steamed Earth Baleful Intent, Corpse Yin Zhi, and millennium cold iron.
• Cheng Xinzhan visited Huang Laosan, urged him to build a loyal and disciplined following, and asked him to invite Che Liangcai.
• When Che Liangcai arrived, Cheng Xinzhan appeared as a purple-robed Daoist, and a Long-Horned Shield Bug crawled out of Che Liangcai’s mouth.

Cheng Xinzhan reunited with the Shield Bug, which had secretly taken control of Walking Corpses on Fire Dragon Island, and learned how it had built a network of twenty-two carriages. He welcomed it back, named it Tian Shubao, and also named Sleepy Bug Ke Yimeng.

• Cheng Xinzhan confirmed that the Shield Bug lived inside Che Liangcai, and the bug flew to his palm when he called it back.
• Cheng Xinzhan promised to keep the Shield Bug by his side, introduced it to Sleepy Bug, and told Huang Laosan that Che Liangcai would help it build up its people.
• The Shield Bug recounted how it used Carriage-Leading Pills to control Walking Corpses and reported that it had twenty-two carriages on Fire Dragon Island.
• Cheng Xinzhan named the Shield Bug Tian Shubao, and Sleepy Bug happily accepted the name Ke Yimeng.

Cheng Xinzhan and Shi Tongxuan visited Deng Qingyang at Yangming Mountain to seek Mount Heng’s support for establishing a school of Yin Corpses. Deng agreed to grant them Langshan Mountain, leaving Three Pure Ones Mountain poised to found a new branch sect in the Three Xiang.

• Deng Qingyang welcomed Shi Tongxuan and Cheng Xinzhan to Yangming Mountain and asked what had brought them there.
• Cheng Xinzhan discussed the Three Xiang’s jiangshi problem and the growing presence of corpses from the region in the Three Corpses Cult.
• Cheng Xinzhan explained that he wanted to recruit Yin Corpses and establish a subordinate school, while Shi Tongxuan would oversee the undertaking.
• Deng Qingyang welcomed the plan and agreed that Langshan Mountain would be a suitable site for the new school.
• Shi Tongxuan promised to defend Langshan Mountain and share its produce, while Deng offered Mount Heng’s support and urged them to establish the school soon.

Cheng Xinzhan helped establish the Illuminating Clarity Sect by recruiting the Four Great Families of Southern Jiangxi, then returned to Three Pure Ones Mountain to discuss suspicious Fire Dragon Island flags. Ji Hehe and True Person Chengchu concluded that the flags’ hidden Ghost Seal Script was linked to Gu Chen’s Profound Yin Beast-Gathering Banner, and that Fire Dragon Island’s added restrictions could destroy it.

• Shi Tongxuan named the new sect the Illuminating Clarity Sect and agreed with Cheng Xinzhan that they would serve as its Sect Master and Vice Sect Master, with Marshal Kui taking over Shi Tongxuan’s duties.
• Shi Tongxuan traveled to Three Pure Ones Mountain to arrange the new sanctuary, while Cheng Xinzhan went to Azure Ridge Village to recruit disciples from the Four Great Families.
• Cheng Xinzhan explained the sect’s mission to guide Yin Corpses toward goodness and asked the Four Great Families to provide Corpse Nourishing and Corpse Suppression disciples; their leaders enthusiastically agreed to prepare a list within five days.
• Cheng Xinzhan reported the successful talks to Ji Hehe, then asked about the flags he had sent back for examination.
• Ji Hehe told Cheng Xinzhan that he and True Person Chengchu believed the flags’ hidden Ghost Seal Script was connected to Gu Chen’s Profound Yin Beast-Gathering Banner, while Fire Dragon Island’s restrictions could destroy it.

Cheng Xinzhan gathered earthly baleful intents from Fire Dragon Island, Che Liangcai, and his sect to meet Shubao’s requirements for refining Carriage-Leading Pellets capable of moving Brocade Dragon’s corpse. Shubao approved the combined supply, leaving Cheng Xinzhan ready to proceed with the dragon-driving pellets.

• Cheng Xinzhan returned to Fire Dragon Island and exchanged his accumulated merits for small portions of all eight earthly baleful intents listed at the Many Treasures Guard.
• Che Liangcai gave Cheng Xinzhan large supplies of several earthly baleful intents and took back the Fire Dragon Banner during their meeting.
• Cheng Xinzhan concealed himself in his Cave Abode and gathered the baleful intents he had received from the island and his sect.
• Cheng Xinzhan explained that Shubao needed abundant earth and metal baleful intents, along with dragon baleful intent, to refine Carriage-Leading Pellets for moving Brocade Dragon’s corpse.
• Cheng Xinzhan added three baleful intents from his sect: fertile fields and bountiful harvest, turn earth into gold, and shouyang scarlet-soot.
• Shubao inspected the combined supply and finally nodded in satisfaction.

Cheng Xinzhan refined new baleful intents, then claimed two yin corpses from the Corpse Residence: a rare Sand-Shooting Beast and a sealed female sword cultivator who was a Yi Wood Corpse. As he emerged, Shi Tongxuan announced the founding of the Illuminating Clarity Sect and invited corpse cultivators to join.

• Cheng Xinzhan refined the Cold Owl Yin Wind and Tide-Moon Illusory Wave Baleful Intents into the Eight-Treasure Cloudlight Handkerchief, while Shubao estimated that making a Carriage-Leading Pellet would take half a year to a year and a half.
• Cheng Xinzhan learned that Liu Jushui had gone with retainers to fight the Golden Broth Sea over the Fish Dragon Bridge, then received permission to claim more corpses.
• Shubao guided Cheng Xinzhan to a rare Sand-Shooting Beast corpse with an intact core and a strong lingering thought, and Cheng Xinzhan took it.
• Cheng Xinzhan identified a sealed female corpse as a Yi Wood Corpse and learned that Tang Yusheng had ordered the Great Elder to capture her after a Tomb-Raiding Hall team was wiped out in Qingzhou.
• Shi Tongxuan announced that he had left Three Pure Ones Mountain to found the Illuminating Clarity Sect at Langshan Mountain, inviting corpse cultivators to abandon the turbid and inherit clarity.

Cheng Xinzhan freed He Xiangu, a righteous Six Washings Yin Corpse, from captivity on Fire Dragon Island and recruited her to help the Illuminating Clarity Sect oppose the Three Corpses Cult. He began identifying other benevolent Yin Corpses imprisoned on the island, then prepared to awaken a rare Sand-Shooting Beast.

• Cheng Xinzhan removed He Xiangu’s Corpse-Locking Talisman, restrained her sword when she attacked, and convinced her he was not a member of the Demon Cult.
• Cheng Xinzhan recognized He Xiangu from Zhou Qingyun’s account of the righteous corpse cultivator who protected Yi County, and He Xiangu explained that she had been captured after her Six Washings tribulation left her weakened.
• Cheng Xinzhan revealed his identity as a Daoist of Three Pure Ones Mountain and explained his infiltration of Fire Dragon Island; He Xiangu agreed to join his effort against the demons and consider visiting the new Yin Corpse sect on Langshan Mountain.
• Cheng Xinzhan gave He Xiangu a chamber and a Yin Nourishment item, then asked Shubao to identify the Third Realm benevolent Yin Corpses imprisoned in the island’s Corpse Residences.
• Cheng Xinzhan released the rare Sand-Shooting Beast and began setting up a formation and altar to awaken it as a Yin Corpse.