Chapter Summaries

Cheng Xinzhan traced the Central Capital’s strange formation to the imperial mausoleum and led the group underground to investigate its source. Beneath a sealed lower level, they discovered a mountain-sized Qilin surrounded by strange light and deathly black smoke.

• Zhu Jianmo explained the history of the Central Capital, and Cheng Xinzhan identified a Qilin Swallows Metal formation in its layout.
• Cheng Xinzhan realized the mausoleum and capital had been constructed separately, and concluded the capital’s formation drew power from the mausoleum while the supposed imperial tomb was likely a façade.
• At sunset, Cheng Xinzhan and Xu Jishen observed yin qi rising from the imperial mausoleum and being swallowed by the capital, so the group entered the underground palace.
• The group found the main coffins empty, then burrowed past a restriction into a colder, deeper level filled with dense metal qi.
• Zhu Jianmo and the others peered into an immense cavern and saw a fiery net above a mountain-sized Qilin with azure scales and golden horns.

Cheng Xinzhan and Zhu Jianmo met Jin Mingzi, a Golden Qilin Corpse Immortal sealed beneath the Zhu Clan’s imperial tomb, and learned that Cheng descended from Crown Prince Yiwen. Jin Mingzi explained how Zhu Chongba had promised to build a formation to nourish and conceal him, but the formation was altered to drain his metal qi and imprison him; Jin Mingzi had been weakening the Zhu Ming Dragon Vein to force the imperial family to answer for it.

• Cheng Xinzhan saw the qilin beneath the fiery net, and Jin Mingzi called for the Zhu descendants to come forward.
• Jin Mingzi recognized Cheng Xinzhan as a descendant of Zhu Chongba’s eldest son, and Zhu Jianmo identified him as a descendant of Crown Prince Yiwen.
• Cheng Xinzhan and Zhu Jianmo descended to speak with Jin Mingzi, who confirmed that he had tainted the Zhu Clan’s dragon vein with corpse qi.
• Jin Mingzi recounted how he had bargained with Zhu Chongba to build a formation that would use the Yuan dynasty’s metal qi to nourish his corpse and conceal him.
• Jin Mingzi said the formation had later been altered to consume metal qi for the Zhu Ming Dragon Vein and seal him inside the cavern.
• Jin Mingzi explained that he had released corpse qi to gradually weaken the Zhu Ming Dragon Vein, hoping the emperor would come seek an explanation.

Cheng Xinzhan explained how the Black-Robed Chancellor’s altered formation had accidentally bound Jin Mingzi, and the group freed him by severing its link to the dragon vein. Jin Mingzi shared his understanding of metal nature before ascending to the heavenly realm as a Corpse Immortal, leaving Cheng Xinzhan inspired to cultivate an undying Golden Qilin corpse.

• Cheng Xinzhan proposed that the Black-Robed Chancellor had unknowingly changed the Central Capital’s formation, disrupting the arrangement between Jin Mingzi, the Zhu Household’s dragon vein, and the imperial mausoleum.
• Jin Mingzi ordered the group to sever the dragon vein’s connection and used Zhu Jianmo’s blood essence and Cheng Xinzhan’s magical power to weaken the binding net.
• Jin Mingzi granted Cheng Xinzhan and Zhu Jianmo one question each; he said golden immortals existed but none were in the present heavenly realm, then taught Cheng Xinzhan that metal nature was immortality.
• After the others severed the connection, Jin Mingzi’s net dispersed, and he ascended amid thunder as a Golden Qilin and Corpse Immortal.
• Cheng Xinzhan watched Jin Mingzi ascend and formed a vision of an undying Golden Qilin corpse.

After Jin Mingzi ascended, Cheng Xinzhan and his companions reported their mission to Three Pure Ones Mountain and met the sect leader. The sect leader revealed that Cheng’s balanced study of the Five Elements could lead him toward a leadership role, and urged him to cultivate with a long view.

• Cheng Xinzhan and his companions explained Jin Mingzi’s ascension to Green Rain Temple, which agreed to tell the public that the Zhu ancestors had ascended after completing their merits.
• The group returned to Three Pure Ones Mountain, reported the events at Red Dust Hall, and received a middle first-class rating for their mission.
• The sect leader welcomed the six disciples, gave each a lotus seed, and heard Cheng Xinzhan recount Jin Mingzi’s history and teachings about Metal.
• After the others left, the sect leader told Cheng Xinzhan that Three Pure Ones Mountain’s leaders deeply cultivated the Five Elements and Yin-Yang, and recognized that Cheng was pursuing this path.
• The sect leader encouraged Cheng Xinzhan to look beyond immediate gains and work hard, noting that Bright Governance Mountain had not produced a sect leader for many generations.

Cheng Xinzhan returned to Bright Governance Mountain, where Wen Sukong praised his plans for corpse cultivation and taught him wind arts and a Primordial Spirit method. He then went to buy food for White Dragon and met Daoist Yao at a spirit pet stall, where the stallholder noticed one of his herbs before he left.

• Cheng Xinzhan told Wen Sukong about his Qingzhou assignment and explained his plans to study the Five Palaces before cultivating corpses.
• Wen Sukong approved Cheng Xinzhan’s approach and gave him wind arts, a Primordial Spirit method, and an explanation of the Nine-Holed Dustless Lotus seed.
• Cheng Xinzhan returned to Carefree Cave, soothed the hungry White Dragon, and went to Eastern Heaven Road to find suitable pet food.
• Cheng Xinzhan met Daoist Yao in the queue at the Spirit Pet Food Shop, where Daoist Yao explained the Wild Goose Betrothal Sect and its pet services.
• Cheng Xinzhan traded four Chicken-Blood Vines for two bags of food for White Dragon, and the stallholder stopped him to inspect a jade-green orchid.

Cheng Xinzhan traded a rare lady's slipper orchid for a calico kitten and learned how to care for his Spirit Pets. Back at Carefree Cave, White Dragon welcomed the kitten, and Cheng Xinzhan named her Third Younger Sister.

• Cheng Xinzhan traded the lady's slipper orchid to Qu Jihan for the calico kitten and received cat food and cultivation diagrams for dogs and cats.
• Qu Jihan explained that White Dragon, as a male, could care for the kitten, who was over four months old.
• Cheng Xinzhan returned to Bright Governance Mountain and introduced the kitten to White Dragon.
• White Dragon brought the kitten to the food first, then ate after she began eating.
• Cheng Xinzhan named the kitten Third Younger Sister, placing her after himself and Wait-Wait in the family.

Cheng Xinzhan returned to Carefree Cave and joined his wandering soul with his body, which continued cultivating in his absence. After completing a book that helped him visualize three thunder deities, he reviewed his rapid progress and prepared to publish the work, ending the snowy evening by painting persimmons with Third Younger Sister.

• Cheng Xinzhan returned from his final day of duty and helped Third Younger Sister find Dengge'er hiding in the snow.
• Cheng Xinzhan reunited with his seated body, which had continued breathing and cultivating while he was away.
• Cheng Xinzhan inspected the three completed thunder palaces and their Inner Landscape Deities, which were dissolving True Baleful Intent and repairing his body.
• Cheng Xinzhan finished Thunder's Demon-Slaying Chronicle, a book about Zhang Shuye and his two sons that had helped him visualize three Inner Landscape Deities.
• Cheng Xinzhan reviewed how Bright Governance Mountain's methods let his body cultivate while Shuangling and Youjing practiced techniques with his bamboo body.
• Cheng Xinzhan put away the manuscript for printing, then painted the snowy persimmon tree while scratching Third Younger Sister.

Cheng Xinzhan planned the next steps in opening his inner palaces before joining Sun Miaoshu and their companions on a journey to the Third Heaven. They reached Peacock City, one of the White Jade Capital’s five cities, and learned it was a lavish place for entertainment and trade.

• Cheng Xinzhan settled on Wu Earth as the next stage of his five-element cultivation and considered Mount Tai or Laoshan for his spleen mansion, while planning to open his Ear Aperture first.
• Ji Hu invited Cheng Xinzhan to meet the others at Fishing Rock, and Cheng Xinzhan brought Third Younger Sister and Dengge'er along.
• Zhu Jianmo told Cheng Xinzhan that the emperor had recovered after Jin Mingzi ascended and asked about Cheng Xinzhan’s origins; Cheng Xinzhan explained why he chose not to investigate his parents’ past.
• Sun Miaoshu revealed that she had reached the Second Realm and led the group through the mountain-protecting formation into the Third Heaven.
• Sun Miaoshu guided the group to Peacock City and explained that the White Jade Capital had been built during the Long-Lived Tang as a place for pleasure, gatherings, and trade.

Sun Miaoshu led Cheng Xinzhan and the others through the pleasure-filled White Jade Capital, where they sampled expensive wine and fine food. They then spotted Liang Zhenjing accompanying a wealthy youth called Gongchang Gongzi to the Purple Zhi Fragrant Chamber and suspected the youth was Dragon-Tiger Mountain’s young Celestial Master.

• Sun Miaoshu explained that merchants had built the White Jade Capital as a place where cultivators could seek pleasure, and she led the group inside Peacock City.
• He Jiyuan reacted to a demon in the city, but Sun Miaoshu warned him that fighting was forbidden and explained that the city welcomed people of every faction.
• Sun Miaoshu treated the group to wine and food at a restaurant, where a veiled woman advised Cheng Xinzhan on what fish to feed Third Younger Sister.
• The group left the restaurant after hearing that Gongchang Gongzi had arrived and recognized Liang Zhenjing among the youth’s escort.
• Cheng Xinzhan and the others followed the deer carriage and saw Gongchang Gongzi enter the Purple Zhi Fragrant Chamber, where beauties waited to receive him.

Cheng Xinzhan went to Peacock City’s Bohai Sea Market to buy sea loaches for Third Younger Sister and offered his talismans in exchange. The market’s appraisers recognized his skill and learned that he was from Three Pure Ones Mountain, while its new proprietor Shiniang introduced herself to him.

• Cheng Xinzhan used his own footwork to reach the Bohai Sea Market with Third Younger Sister and Dengge'er.
• Cheng Xinzhan asked to barter his First Realm talismans for Six-Whiskered Loaches and Fish-Dragon Loaches, and Attendant Wang summoned other appraisers to examine them.
• Shiniang arrived and offered Cheng Xinzhan half off because the Bohai Sea Market belonged to her family.
• Attendant Hu examined Cheng Xinzhan’s talismans and guessed that he was a disciple of Gezao Mountain, but Cheng Xinzhan said he belonged to Three Pure Ones Mountain.
• Shiniang introduced herself as the eleventh-ranked member of the Xiao Household, and Cheng Xinzhan returned her greeting with an ancient Daoist rite.

Cheng Xinzhan traded his talismans at the Sea Market, arranged lodging and a business partnership with Shi Yiniang, and reunited with Sun Miaoshu and the others. The group learned that Huanzhu Louzhu’s Pearl-Retaining Tower would join Peacock City’s celebration, raising the possibility of a sword contest Cheng Xinzhan wanted to enter.

• Cheng Xinzhan sold practice talismans to Attendant Hu, exchanged them for sea loaches and clams, and received a water pouch and supplies.
• Attendant Hu proposed supplying Cheng Xinzhan with talisman paper and ink in exchange for finished talismans, and Cheng Xinzhan agreed to discuss the arrangement.
• Shi Yiniang gave Cheng Xinzhan a Ru Wu Xin letter and arranged Sea Market lodging for him and his six fellow disciples.
• Cheng Xinzhan found Sun Miaoshu, told her about the lodging, and wrote to Shi Yiniang to reserve seven rooms.
• The next morning, Qingyu told Cheng Xinzhan and the others that the Pearl-Retaining Tower would join Peacock City’s celebration and that Huanzhu Louzhu might hold a sword contest.
• Cheng Xinzhan asked about entering the contest and decided he would try if it took place.

Li Shanshou and Qian Boya opened a grand Sword-Dueling Gathering in Peacock City, where Cheng Xinzhan took the lead in the body-sword trial. As Cheng’s performance drew attention, several people who recognized him watched from different parts of the city.

• Qian Boya welcomed Li Shanshou and announced free drinks and fireworks, while Li invited young cultivators to compete in a Sword-Dueling Gathering.
• Li Shanshou unveiled the Jade Yao Terrace and Moon-Reflecting Mirror, then began the gathering with a body-sword trial.
• Cheng Xinzhan rode to the terrace and climbed its steps without pausing, defeating successive sword-wielding phantoms and taking the lead.
• He Jiyuan, Wang Miaoyuan, Feng Ji Hu, Xiao Shiniang, and Qingyu watched Cheng advance, while Li Shanshou and Qian Boya praised his swordsmanship.
• Li Shanshou enlarged Cheng’s image in the mirror, and viewers in several parts of Peacock City recognized him, including Zhou Qingyun and Li Yingqiong.

Cheng Xinzhan fought his way through the sword tournament and faced Xue Lixing in the final bout, where he unveiled his Thunderbolt Light-Splitting Sword Technique. After winning, he offered to teach the technique to Xue Lixing so they could refine it together.

• Cheng Xinzhan defeated Liu Yuwei and several other opponents as the Jade Yao Terraces narrowed to a single final arena.
• Cheng Xinzhan told the spectators that his sword was named Autumn Water and recounted how an elder had passed it to him.
• Xue Lixing introduced his sword, Leaving the Hut, before he and Cheng Xinzhan began their final duel.
• Cheng Xinzhan and Xue Lixing exchanged powerful sword techniques, while Jingrui dismissed hand-wielded swordsmanship and Martial Uncle Li rebuked him.
• Cheng Xinzhan used the Thunderbolt Light-Splitting Sword Technique to stop his blade before Xue Lixing's chest, then offered to teach him the technique.

After winning the physical swordsmanship round, Cheng Xinzhan received advice and gifts from the sword immortal before entering the spell sword contest. His precise Sword Qi cleaved the cloud ridge, and he remained on the platform after the other contestants were eliminated.

• Xiao Shiniang ordered Bohai Sea Market restaurants to serve their finest Auspicious Splendor Jade Nectar free in celebration of Cheng Xinzhan's victory.
• Qian Boya gave Cheng Xinzhan and Xue Lixing Peacock City VIP tokens, while Huanzhu Louzhu advised them and gifted Xue Lixing the heavy sword Red Ant and Cheng Xinzhan frost-flowing flying mercury.
• Cheng Xinzhan and Xue Lixing parted ways, and Cheng Xinzhan joined the second round, a spell sword contest judged by whether contestants could cleave a distant cloud ridge with Sword Qi.
• Cheng Xinzhan summoned High Truth and sent a slender arc of thunder-infused Sword Qi ahead of the other attacks, cutting cleanly through the cloud ridge.
• Xue Lixing recognized the precision of Cheng Xinzhan's attack despite the other contestants' mockery, and Cheng Xinzhan remained on the platform after everyone who failed was eliminated.

Cheng Xinzhan claimed Thunder-Accumulating Mountain Grotto-Heaven as his arena and watched the other sword matches while waiting for a challenger. Liang Zhenjing eventually faced him, and Cheng defeated him by turning High Truth’s lightning into a giant Thunder Talisman and catching him as he fell.

• Huanzhu Louzhu split the Moon-Reflecting Mirror into thirty-six grotto-heaven arenas and announced the sword-round rules.
• Cheng Xinzhan chose Thunder-Accumulating Mountain Grotto-Heaven and secretly gathered some of its real thunder pulp while nobody challenged him.
• Prompted by the Little Celestial Master, Liang Zhenjing entered Cheng Xinzhan’s arena and attacked with his Copper Coin Sword and Thunder Talismans.
• Cheng Xinzhan and Liang Zhenjing traded lightning attacks, and Cheng learned from Liang’s talisman arrays and used Thunder Talismans to ride lightning away.
• Cheng Xinzhan drew a giant Thunder Talisman across the sky and detonated it, stunning Liang Zhenjing before catching him as he fell.

Cheng Xinzhan advanced through successive rounds of the sword contest by defeating cultivators from the Red Heart Cult, Mount Tianmu, and Wutai Mountain with different Spell Sword Art methods. After winning four bouts using distinct schools of swordsmanship, he left the remaining contestants wondering whether his varied techniques were deliberate.

• Cheng Xinzhan defeated the Red Heart Cult cultivator at Flame Mountain after resisting his desire fire and counterattacking with Earthfire and falling flames.
• Cheng Xinzhan beat Qiao Shoujing of Mount Tianmu by using a water dragon to counter her Wood Flood Dragon while practicing water magic.
• Cheng Xinzhan drew Central Palace and defeated the monk Xiangzai of Wutai Mountain in a contest of Xin Metal and Geng Metal Sword Qi.
• The spectators realized Cheng Xinzhan had won four bouts with four different Spell Sword Art methods, and they wondered whether he had done so deliberately.

Cheng Xinzhan defeated Yu Qingsi and Lan Yuqing in successive sword duels, displaying his mastery of yin and yang, multiple elemental sword arts, and body-sword techniques. After Li Shanshou praised him and rewarded him with Yangming Cloud Hall Gang, Cheng Xinzhan accepted the city lord’s token and agreed to enter the final competition.

• Cheng Xinzhan fought Yu Qingsi of Tianzhu Mountain, recognized his Taiyin swordsmanship, and defeated him with Yang Fire Sword Qi.
• Cheng Xinzhan faced Lan Yuqing of Mount Lu, adapted to his sword-formed formations, and defeated him by crossing the gap with thunder and fire before placing High Truth at his neck.
• Xiao Shiniang ordered Qingyu to send Daoist Cheng a celebratory pot of wine, while a thin man watching the mirror realized Cheng Xinzhan was the person he had recognized.
• Li Shanshou praised Cheng Xinzhan, awarded him Yangming Cloud Hall Gang, and advised him to use multiple Dharma Swords for his many affinities.
• The lord of Peacock City gave Cheng Xinzhan a residence token, and Cheng Xinzhan agreed to take part in the final competition.

Cheng Xinzhan’s Peach Capital fought Li Yingqiong’s Tai Bai Wields the Blade and the other Emei disciples’ swords during the flying sword contest. After Peach Capital broke Red Perilla and Azure Mouth, Zhou Qingyun chose to stand with her sect and sent Moon Soul against it.

• Cheng Xinzhan entered the flying sword round, and Peach Capital rose among the leading swords before Li Yingqiong attacked it with Tai Bai Wields the Blade.
• Peach Capital fought back with solar bing fire, but Zhou Qingyun’s Moon Soul approached it and Li Yingqiong used the distraction to crack Peach Capital’s blade.
• Zhuge Jingrui’s Red Perilla revealed Peach Capital’s movements, and Yu Yingnan’s Azure Mouth broke its tip.
• Cheng Xinzhan transformed Peach Capital into a rooster whose crow brought dawn, then used the morning light and Swift Sword Manual to damage Red Perilla and break Azure Mouth.
• Zhou Qingyun chose to defend Emei and sent Moon Soul to fight Peach Capital using Li Tieguai’s Gentle Kan Water Sword Manual.

Cheng Xinzhan’s Peach Capital was broken after Li Yingqiong and Zhou Qingyun outmaneuvered it, but he sent his twin souls into the two pieces and made them fly again. As the sword contest continued, the reunited-in-spirit Peach Capital rose against the falling swords.

• Zhou Qingyun’s Moon Soul checked Cheng Xinzhan’s Peach Capital, allowing Li Yingqiong’s Tai Bai Wields the Blade to strike its blade four times and break it.
• Cheng Xinzhan sent his twin souls out of his body to join the falling pieces of Peach Capital, while Sun Miaoshu and the others guarded his body and summoned elders.
• Elder Jiao sent Cheng Xinzhan the Primordial Flying Sword Scripture and urged him to learn its method.
• Youjing entered one broken piece of Peach Capital with the sword spirit, while Shuangling entered the other, and both pieces reignited and soared.
• The two broken pieces climbed rapidly as a giant bird of flame, rising against the falling swords in the contest.

At the Sword-Dueling Gathering, Cheng Xinzhan’s Peach Capital attacked Li Yingqiong and Zhou Qingyun’s flying swords, prompting Xun Yinlan to intervene before departing with them. Cheng Xinzhan bid farewell to Huanzhu Louzhu and flew toward Peacock City with Peach Capital’s fragments and a formation diagram.

• Li Yingqiong and Yuan Yongzhen celebrated the Shu Chinese Mysteries’ control of the thirty-six highest-flying swords, while Yan Renying learned that Green Bamboo Nunnery had become an Emei branch and lost control of Dark Baleful.
• Two fiery-red swords entered the formation, and Cheng Xinzhan’s Peach Capital enveloped Tai Bai Wields the Blade in Yang Fire and repeatedly struck Zhou Qingyun’s Moon Soul.
• Xun Yinlan manifested to protect Li Yingqiong and Zhou Qingyun, then left with Tai Bai Wields the Blade and Moon Soul after Huanzhu Louzhu challenged her presence at the gathering.
• Cheng Xinzhan told Huanzhu Louzhu that his damaged sword prevented him from continuing, and Huanzhu Louzhu gave him a Void-Transposition Formation Diagram and Peach Capital’s severed tip.
• Cheng Xinzhan returned to his broken sword and flew toward Peacock City.