Chapter Summaries

After the Illuminating Clarity Sect’s founding sparked mass defections from the Three Corpses Cult, Cheng Xinzhan learned how the Yin Clan’s lack of paths to cultivation had made the new sect so appealing. As the island tightened its defenses, Huang Laosan reported his promotion and the discovery of a living Earthfire vein near Yellow Sulfur Island.

• Cheng Xinzhan took He Lingfu with him to meet Tang Yusheng after the Fire Dragon Island formation activated, and they learned that many cultivators had fled to join the Illuminating Clarity Sect.
• The hall leaders reported extensive defections, including the Changshan Guard commander, and Tang Yusheng ordered garrisons recalled, departures suspended, and the Tomb-Raiding Hall’s Corpse Residences sealed.
• He Lingfu explained why Yin beings had flocked to the new sect, and Cheng Xinzhan asked her to advise him on establishing a sect for benevolent corpses.
• Huang Laosan told Cheng Xinzhan that he had been promoted to protector and put in charge of the Changshan Guard after the defections.
• Huang Laosan reported that a living undersea Earthfire vein had been discovered near Yellow Sulfur Island.

Cheng Xinzhan learned that the Red Corpse planned to use the undersea fire vein beneath Yellow Sulfur Island to strengthen the Li Fire Sea and reorganized its command structure around a new Imperial Envoy Courtyard. He awakened and named the Sand-Shooting Beast Huo Jizhen, then heard from Wu Qingbo that the fire cavern contained a whole other world.

• Huang Laosan told Cheng Xinzhan that the Red Corpse had sealed the newly discovered fire cavern and suspended mining around Yellow Sulfur Island.
• Wu Qingbo reported that the Red Corpse planned to build the Imperial Envoy Courtyard and use the fire vein to transform Fire Dragon Island, aid her Union with the Dao, and reward him with a path to the Fourth Realm.
• The Red Corpse reorganized the Li Fire Sea's courtyards and guards, appointing Miao Jianlong Grand Imperial Envoy and making Yellow Heaven Zhi Third Protector.
• Cheng Xinzhan's Sand-Shooting Beast emerged after seven days of corpse nourishing, recalled only fragments of his past life, and said his former cultivation had reached the Third Wash.
• Cheng Xinzhan named the Sand-Shooting Beast Huo Jizhen and taught him the Great Yin Body Refinement method.
• After Cheng Xinzhan took his post at the Retainer Hall, Wu Qingbo told him that the fire cavern held a whole other world.

Cheng Xinzhan entered Uncle Qing’s body to inspect the Abyss of Separation and learned how Red Corpse planned to connect its fire veins to Fire Dragon Island’s earth veins. After discovering the Nine-Yang Fire-Cloud Chain would serve as the formation’s foundation, Cheng Xinzhan understood how Red Corpse intended to strengthen the island’s protective formation.

• Cheng Xinzhan entered Uncle Qing’s Purple Tower and urged him to identify recruits in the Imperial Envoy Guard who could be guided onto the Righteous Path.
• Uncle Qing led Wu Qingbo’s subordinates into the Abyss of Separation and explained Red Corpse’s plan to link the underground cavern with the surrounding islands.
• Cheng Xinzhan explored the vast lava cavern with Uncle Qing and learned that its magma carried the remnants of a dead flowing sulfur smoke-molten baleful intent.
• Uncle Qing showed Cheng Xinzhan the Nine-Yang Fire-Cloud Chain, which Red Corpse had obtained from Gu Chen and intended to use to connect the cavern’s fire veins to Fire Dragon Island’s earth veins.

Wu Qingbo anchored the Nine-Yang Fire-Cloud Chain at a Fire Vein junction, helping Red Corpse connect the Fire Cavern to Fire Dragon Island’s Earth Veins. Two months later, Cheng Xinzhan returned from battle and found the Thin Daoist meeting with Tang Yusheng.

• Uncle Qing found a junction of three Fire Veins and used the Nine-Yang Fire-Cloud Chain to bind it and draw its energy toward a shaft linked to Fire Dragon Island’s Earth Veins.
• Wu Lao praised Uncle Qing’s work, rewarded him with molten baleful intent and a thousand-year-old dusk-glow fire lingzhi, and urged the Imperial Envoy Courtyard disciples to help build a Fire Mansion Corpse State.
• Uncle Qing told Cheng Xinzhan that nine chains could connect multiple Fire Vein junctions, and estimated that linking all nine shafts to Fire Dragon Island would take four to nine months.
• Cheng Xinzhan asked Uncle Qing to manage the work so it would leave him at least six months, then arranged to collect baleful intent and bring back earthfire heavenly star baleful intent for refining the Spell Umbrella.
• Two months later, Cheng Xinzhan returned from fighting at Fish Dragon Bridge and went to Tang Yusheng’s main hall, where he recognized the Thin Daoist sitting beside the general.

Cheng Xinzhan went to Earth Yin Island to advise the Thin Daoist on a campaign against Second Aunt Red, but his heart's blood began surging as soon as he entered the island. He reached Star-Plucking Hall and was asked to brief the gathered cultivators on Red Rosy Cloud Island, while the source of his growing unease remained unknown.

• Tang Yusheng introduced Cheng Xinzhan to the Thin Daoist, who recruited him to advise on attacking Second Aunt Red's Red Rosy Cloud Island.
• Tang Yusheng told Cheng Xinzhan that the Thin Daoist was Yuan Fachen, a powerful human cultivator who ate people, and warned him to remain loyal to the Li Fire Sea.
• Cheng Xinzhan visited Huang Laosan, tasked him with watching Liu Jushui, and set out for Earth Yin Island the next morning.
• When Cheng Xinzhan entered Earth Yin Island, his heart's blood began surging and grew more turbulent as he traveled toward Brush-Rack Mountain.
• Cheng Xinzhan arrived at Star-Plucking Hall, where the Thin Daoist introduced him to the assembled cultivators and asked him to explain Red Rosy Cloud Island.

Cheng Xinzhan briefed the Thin Daoist and the Star-Plucking Hall on the Alligator King’s commanders, Second Aunt Red’s defenses, and the crocodile demons’ strengths, then proposed ways to defeat them. The Thin Daoist appointed Cheng Xinzhan strategist and began preparing to test his suggestions while planning an assault on Red Rosy Cloud Island.

• Cheng Xinzhan explained how the Alligator King recruited four garrison commanders and described Second Aunt Red’s strength, Dragon Blood, and flight-suppressing rosy cloud formation.
• Cheng Xinzhan warned that the Alligator King had mobilized savage crocodile demons, and suggested using internal attacks, size-changing poisoned caltrops, Gu Insects, and a Climbing Vine against them.
• The Thin Daoist ordered his followers to test Cheng Xinzhan’s proposed methods for harming crocodile demons.
• Cheng Xinzhan suggested using Northern Pole Grand Simplicity Gang, Soaring Star-Raising Gang, Jade-Phosphor Blast, or Seven Baleful Stars Profound Yin Heavenly Net to break the rosy cloud formation.
• Cheng Xinzhan proposed exploiting Second Aunt Red’s feud with Hidden Dragon Mountain, and the Thin Daoist appointed him strategist of Star-Plucking Hall.
• Cheng Xinzhan left the hall as its members remarked that his schemes were knowledgeable but venomous.

Cheng Xinzhan used Wind Bird Divination to discover that his ancestor’s remains were on Earth Yin Island and identified the Emperor Corpse as Emperor Jianwen. After deciding to recover the remains, he searched for a way to infiltrate the mountain underground and suddenly recalled a possible catalyst for creating a concealment art.

• Cheng Xinzhan left Earth Yin Island and divined himself by the moonlit sea, seeing a broken, bone-exposed white dove that foretold his ancestors’ remains had been displaced.
• Cheng Xinzhan connected his lineage, the island’s formation, and the divination, concluding that Emperor Jianwen was his ancestor and the Ji Earth Emperor Corpse being used by the Three Corpses.
• Cheng Xinzhan suppressed his anger and returned to Earth Yin Island, where he found that his Heart Mansion surged most fiercely beneath Brush-Rack Mountain.
• Cheng Xinzhan considered creating a stealthy underground movement art but could not identify the catalyst needed to combine his existing techniques.
• Cheng Xinzhan inspected his Inner Vision World, noted the loss of eight years of lifespan from divination, and realized that the Seventeen-Year Cicada might provide the missing inspiration.

Cheng Xinzhan’s plans helped Earth Yin Island discover Jiao-Claw Vine and Golden Silkworm Gu as counters to the crocodile demons guarding Red Rosy Cloud Island, bringing an assault close. After advising the Thin Daoist on the island’s defenses, Cheng Xinzhan tested a new concealment and escape art, the Hidden Wind Corpse Cicada Curse.

• You Jie reported that Jiao-Claw Vine devastated First Realm crocodile demons and could also kill Second Realm ones, while the Thin Daoist sent him to negotiate a bulk purchase from the Blood-Vine Cult.
• Elder Ba explained that Golden Silkworm Gu had pierced a Third Realm crocodile demon’s metallic stomach sac and enabled its defeat, and said a buyer had gone to obtain more from the Heavenly Silkworm Sect.
• The Thin Daoist promised Cheng Xinzhan the red rosy clouds of the island as a reward and said Earth Yin Island would begin its attack by the day after tomorrow.
• Cheng Xinzhan described Red Rosy Cloud Island’s defenses and capable subordinates to the gathered demon fiends.
• Back at his residence, Cheng Xinzhan transformed into a dormant cicada and tested the Hidden Wind Corpse Cicada Curse by sinking into the ground as yin wind.

Cheng Xinzhan infiltrated Earth Yin Island’s underground depths and discovered his ancestor’s corpse at the heart of a formation linked to the island’s Earth Veins and Gu Chen’s Profound Yin Beast-Gathering Banner. After helping the newly founded Illuminating Clarity Sect manage its rapid growth, he was summoned to meet Azure Satchel Immortal Maiden Hua Yaosong.

• Cheng Xinzhan descended through Earth Yin Island’s underground passages, evading the blue-green restrictions by hiding as a dormant cicada.
• Cheng Xinzhan found his ancestor’s emperor corpse on a five-colored altar at the junction of the island’s Earth Vein and sea vein.
• Cheng Xinzhan traced a black luminous river from the corpse toward Gu Chen’s Profound Yin Beast-Gathering Banner and recognized that the altar, corpse, and banner formed a unified defense.
• Cheng Xinzhan observed the ghost-eye demonic net covering the altar, then withdrew without disturbing the formation.
• The Illuminating Clarity Sect attracted more than a hundred Golden Core Feathered Immortals and a flood of Yin Corpses, while Cheng Xinzhan helped organize its new followers and settle disputes.
• While Cheng Xinzhan studied a geomantic map of Langshan Mountain, Shi Tongxuan summoned him to meet Azure Satchel Immortal Maiden Hua Yaosong, a Fourth Realm Corpse Immortal.

Hua Yaosong visited the newly founded Illuminating Clarity Sect and revealed that its ancestor, Yuan Miaoling, had enlightened and taught her. She joined the sect and, despite her reluctance, was urged to serve as Vice Sect Master of Purple Grotto Hall.

• Cheng Xinzhan hurried to Welcoming the True Hall to greet Hua Yaosong, a renowned Fourth Realm Corpse Immortal.
• Shi Tongxuan told Cheng Xinzhan that Hua Yaosong was a famed healer from Heluo who had entered seclusion years earlier.
• Hua Yaosong explained that Yuan Miaoling had raised and instructed her, giving her the credentials to return to Bright Governance Mountain’s lineage.
• Hua Yaosong said she had come to join the Illuminating Clarity Sect and offer a medicine formula for treating the decaying flesh of low-realm walking corpses.
• Shi Tongxuan welcomed Hua Yaosong into the sect and proposed that she oversee Purple Grotto Hall as a Vice Sect Master.
• Hua Yaosong asked to begin as an elder, but Shi Tongxuan and Cheng Xinzhan urged her to accept the Vice Sect Master position.

Cheng Xinzhan and Hua Yaosong debated whether Walking Corpses should cultivate Yin Spirits or Yang Spirits, then devised a system of life-bound talismans that let disciples choose between the two paths. They agreed to write cultivation methods for the sect, and Cheng Xinzhan ended by asking Hua Yaosong about a mysterious net she identified as the Jade-Eyed Heavenly Net.

• Cheng Xinzhan questioned Hua Yaosong's proposal that Yin Corpses cultivate Yin Spirits, and they debated the risks and benefits of Yin and Yang cultivation.
• Hua Yaosong explained that most Walking Corpses lacked the aptitude to cultivate Yang Spirits, while Cheng Xinzhan recognized that his own experience came from unusually gifted disciples and corpses.
• Cheng Xinzhan proposed life-bound yin and yang talismans that would let disciples begin with the path suited to them and switch paths when they reached the Second Realm.
• Hua Yaosong praised the system, and she and Cheng Xinzhan agreed to write and review the Yin-Bearing and Yang-Embracing cultivation methods before submitting them to the Sect Master.
• Cheng Xinzhan asked Hua Yaosong about a chilling, jade-green magical net, and she named it the Jade-Eyed Heavenly Net.

Cheng Xinzhan learned how Gu Chen had created the Jade-Eyed Heavenly Net and reasoned that his Peach Capital could destroy it. He joined the Thin Daoist’s assault on Red Rosy Cloud Island, where the battle began and Cheng recognized the Ghost Seal Script on the Thin Daoist’s Taotie banner.

• Hua Yaosong explained that Dharma Master Yutian had destroyed Gu Chen’s Jade-Eyed Heavenly Net with the Wrathfire Sumeru Needle, and Cheng Xinzhan deduced that Gu Chen had made a new net from the eyes of slaughtered Crimson Bears.
• Cheng Xinzhan concluded that Peach Capital could counter the net, while the Thin Daoist assembled Star-Plucking Hall’s forces and advanced toward Red Rosy Cloud Island.
• Second Aunt Red mocked the Thin Daoist, who raised his banner to signal an attack; the island’s defenders and crocodile demons met the Star-Plucking Hall forces in battle.
• Cheng Xinzhan fought a water demon with Zhong Yuan, secretly released Ji Zhen to attack combatants from the sea, and watched the Thin Daoist fight Second Aunt Red.
• Cheng Xinzhan recognized the beast on the Thin Daoist’s banner as Taotie and saw Ghost Seal Script characters matching those on the Profound Yin Beast-Gathering Banner.

The Thin Daoist used the Xuan Yin Taotie Banner and its gray mist to fight Second Aunt Red, while Cheng Xinzhan watched the battle and examined the banner’s power. After Second Aunt Red turned back to save the surviving golden alligators, the Thin Daoist absorbed the battlefield’s corpses and souls, raising them to serve him.

• The Thin Daoist unleashed the Yin Clan and used Nine Yin Absolute Yang Divine Thunder to kill several of Second Aunt Red’s subordinates, then absorbed their cores and souls into his banner.
• Second Aunt Red summoned her Chiwen dharma form and drove toward the Thin Daoist, but the Yuqiang dharma form and gray mist opposed her.
• Second Aunt Red saw that blood-colored vines had killed nearly all the First and Second Realm golden alligators and turned back to save the surviving Third Realm alligators.
• Second Aunt Red used Words Followed by Law to make the Taotie Banner falter, but the Thin Daoist severed part of his tongue and fed its blood to the banner to regain control.
• The Thin Daoist spread gray mist over nearly two thousand corpses and their souls, then chanted to raise them and command them.

The Thin Daoist’s forces broke Red Rosy Cloud Island’s formation with rare treasures and began overrunning the island. Big Brother Black and Hidden Dragon Mountain arrived to reinforce Second Aunt Red, while the Alligator King held back from intervening after the Yin King challenged him to follow the sea’s rules.

• The Thin Daoist used the Seven Baleful Stars Profound Yin Heavenly Nets and Jade-Phosphor Blasts to erode the Sunset Glow Grand Formation and unleash his forces on Red Rosy Cloud Island.
• The Thin Daoist’s Yin Spirits destroyed the island’s defenses and drained its lesser demons for blood energy as Second Aunt Red struggled to hold them back.
• Big Brother Black arrived and struck at the treasure-wielders, but the Thin Daoist blocked his blow with the archway treasure inscribed “Punishment for Crimes Without Injustice.”
• Twelve Golden Core nuns from Hidden Dragon Mountain arrived and surrounded Second Aunt Red, demanding that she return the Buddhist Treasure.
• The Yin King refused the Alligator King’s accusation that the Thin Daoist had brought mainland forces to sea, and the Alligator King ultimately closed his eyes and held back.

Hidden Dragon Mountain attacked Second Aunt Red to recover its Buddhist treasure while the Earth Yin Sea seized Red Rosy Cloud Island. Second Aunt Red was captured during her escape, and Cheng Xinzhan earned the Thin Daoist’s trust and remained to govern the newly conquered island.

• Abbess Xiuhui and the nuns of Hidden Dragon Mountain surrounded Second Aunt Red and Big Brother Black, while the Thin Daoist’s forces overran Red Rosy Cloud Island.
• Second Aunt Red offered to return the Dragon Pearl in exchange for Hidden Dragon Mountain’s promise to leave her alone, but she and Big Brother Black fled after receiving a message from the Alligator King.
• A hidden turtle-bodied, viper-tailed beast struck Second Aunt Red’s shadow, letting Abbess Xiuhui knock her unconscious and capture her with the Golden Alms Bowl.
• Big Brother Black withdrew as the Thin Daoist’s forces occupied Red Rosy Cloud Island and planted 108 Profound Yin Beast-Face Flags under Cheng Xinzhan’s direction.
• The Thin Daoist praised and rewarded Cheng Xinzhan, then secured his agreement to remain on Red Rosy Cloud Island and manage it for Star-Plucking Hall.

Cheng Xinzhan and Hua Yaosong completed the framework of a Yin-Yang cultivation method, which Shi Tongxuan approved. Cheng Xinzhan then visited Hidden Dragon Mountain, where he revealed his role in wounding Second Aunt Red and proposed that the monastery take control of Red Rosy Cloud Island.

• Cheng Xinzhan and Hua Yaosong named their new method Essential Pivots of Lesser Yin and Lesser Yang Spirit Refining and Returning to Truth, then brought its preliminary manuscripts to Shi Tongxuan for review.
• Shi Tongxuan praised the method, and Cheng Xinzhan told Hua Yaosong he would leave for two months to settle matters in the Eastern Sea.
• Cheng Xinzhan rode Snow Lion to Hidden Dragon Mountain and was welcomed by Abbess Xiuhui as Master Guanghong.
• Cheng Xinzhan revealed that he had secretly wounded Second Aunt Red while she fled with a stolen treasure, and Abbess Xiuhui explained that Red Yufei had once been a disciple of Hidden Dragon Mountain.
• Cheng Xinzhan asked Abbess Xiuhui whether Hidden Dragon Mountain would take Red Rosy Cloud Island from the overseas demons and bring it under mainland control.

Wu Qingbo completed Red Corpse's grand formation on Fire Dragon Island and received a powerful lotus treasure as a reward. Meanwhile, the Thin Daoist was ambushed by four pearls near Willow Leaf Island and was rescued when Yin King Gu Chen arrived.

• Cheng Xinzhan's lotus body signaled Wu Qingbo to connect the final fire vein, completing the formation that strengthened Fire Dragon Island and empowered Brocade Dragon's corpse.
• Red Corpse praised Wu Qingbo's work and gave him the Purple-Pistil Blood-Lotus Calyx.
• The Thin Daoist traveled toward Red Rosy Cloud Island to inspect it and planned to rename it Yuanyi Island.
• Four magical pearls attacked the Thin Daoist near Willow Leaf Island, damaging his treasures and forcing him to defend himself with black smoke and yin spirits.
• As the Thin Daoist faced the pearls, Yin King Gu Chen arrived and challenged the attackers.

Cheng Xinzhan destroyed Earth Yin Island’s demonic defenses, seized the Emperor Corpse, and helped the Righteous Path assault the weakened island while Gu Chen was held off by Chan Master Zhenxie. After striking Cui Ying with his twin swords and escaping the formation, Cheng Xinzhan said the best was yet to come.

• Gu Chen rescued the Thin Daoist and fought Chan Master Zhenxie, who used six Buddhist pearls to hold him back.
• Cheng Xinzhan shattered all eleven thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine eyes of the Jade-Eyed Heavenly Net, took the Emperor Corpse, and destroyed the demonic altar with Altar Thunder.
• Gu Chen realized Earth Yin Island was under attack and ordered Wu Lao and Cui Ying to recover the Emperor Corpse as the island shook.
• Cheng Xinzhan reached the surface as the Righteous Path battered the weakened Island-Protecting Grand Formation, then struck Cui Ying’s Cold-Soul Condensing-Light Mirror with Sun and Moon Boil Away Lifespan.
• True Person Chengchu wounded Cui Ying, and Cheng Xinzhan escaped the formation and told her the best of the show was yet to come.

Wu Qingbo accepted Red Corpse’s assignments on Fire Dragon Island while Cheng Xinzhan used the island’s fire veins to infiltrate and seize control of the Dragon Corpse and Fire-Cloud Chain. After destroying Red Corpse’s stranded will, Cheng Xinzhan announced that he had taken over the Li Fire Sea and established the True Intent Sect on Fire Dragon Island.

• Red Corpse gave Wu Qingbo a Purple-Pistil Blood-Lotus Calyx and ordered him to manage Yellow Sulfur Island’s harvests and find Body Tempering grounds.
• After Red Corpse left for Earth Yin Island, Cheng Xinzhan used Heavenly Light Rainbow-Transforming Escape to enter the Dragon Corpse and had Shubao implant the Dragon-Controlling Carriage-Leading Pellet.
• Red Corpse’s will entered Cheng Xinzhan’s Mudball Palace, while Cheng Xinzhan took control of the Fire-Cloud Chain and trapped Red Corpse’s will with the Nine Palaces Soul-Locking Spirit-Sealing Talisman.
• Cheng Xinzhan used his fire lotus’s karmic flames to destroy Red Corpse’s will and confirmed that the Mudball Palace was clear.
• Cheng Xinzhan proclaimed his takeover of the Li Fire Sea and established the True Intent Sect on Fire Dragon Island.

Cheng Xinzhan’s allies seized Fire Dragon Island and founded the True Intent Sect while the land powers announced their support. When the Sea-Covering Great Sage challenged his claim, Cheng revealed an earth vein linking the island to the Divine Land, and True Person Baoyuan arrived to back him.

• Cheng Xinzhan ordered the operation as the Dragon Corpse proclaimed the founding of the True Intent Sect, and Wu Qingbo, Liu Jushui, and other allies subdued island officials and secured their surrender.
• Xian Guixiong attacked the Dragon Corpse and was killed, while Cheng Xinzhan used a Nine-Yang Fire-Cloud Chain and dragon fire to kill Shi Mengyang; the remaining defenders surrendered and the island was brought under control.
• Red Corpse reacted furiously to the news, Gu Chen escaped his fight with Chan Master Zhenxie, and cultivators and rulers across the seas and Divine Land voiced congratulations to the new sect.
• The Sea-Covering Great Sage Dai Yuxiang confronted Cheng Xinzhan, claiming Fire Dragon Island as his household’s property, but Cheng argued that it belonged to the Divine Land through its earth veins.
• Cheng Xinzhan revealed a hidden earth vein linking the coast, Red Rosy Cloud Island, Yellow Sulfur Island, and Fire Dragon Island, prompting Dai Yuxiang to rebuke and slap the Alligator King for failing to notice it.
• As Dai Yuxiang threatened to settle the dispute by force, True Person Baoyuan arrived to support Cheng Xinzhan, whose newly revealed earth vein gave land cultivators a foothold in the sea.