Chapter Summaries

Chen Shi'an overheard the city leaders discuss Desolation’s recovery and their plan to seek a formation expert from the Qin Family. Dong Fengwu brought him to the Dong Residence to help Dong Xiaochai with alchemy, though Chen Shi'an worried she might refuse his guidance after their falling-out.

• Dong Fengwu, Gao Tianfang, and Wu Dongchuang discussed how Desolation was recovering and agreed to reinforce and improve the underground formation.
• Gao Tianfang persuaded Wu Dongchuang to urgently ask his sister and brother-in-law, who headed the Qiu family, for help securing a formation expert from the Qin Family.
• Gao Tianfang said he would visit Master Jueming, while Dong Fengwu took Chen Shi'an from the Council Hall.
• Dong Fengwu brought Chen Shi'an to the Dong Residence and explained that Dong Xiaochai had been failing to refine Origin-Strength Pills.
• Chen Shi'an agreed to guide Dong Xiaochai but warned Dong Fengwu that she might not want his help after their unpleasant falling-out.

Chen Shi'an visited Dong Xiaochai at the Dong residence after Dong Fengwu brought him to help with her alchemy. Dong Xiaochai accepted Chen Shi'an's apology and took him to her alchemy room so he could help her refine an Origin-Strength Pill.

• Dong Fengwu led Chen Shi'an to Dong Xiaochai's courtyard, where she had just failed another attempt at alchemy.
• Dong Xiaochai fled in embarrassment when she saw Chen Shi'an, then returned after changing and tidying herself.
• Dong Fengwu left Chen Shi'an with Dong Xiaochai after saying he could guide her in refining an Origin-Strength Pill.
• Chen Shi'an told Dong Xiaochai he had volunteered to help and apologized for his earlier mistake, and she accepted his apology.
• Dong Xiaochai showed Chen Shi'an her alchemy room and blamed her failed attempts on the poor quality of the spirit herbs.
• Chen Shi'an asked Dong Xiaochai to explain where her Origin-Strength Pill refinement had gone wrong.

Chen Shi'an taught Dong Xiaochai about alchemy, then returned to the Earth Pill Sect and focused on cultivating while its leaders remained missing. Their disappearance sparked a power struggle that threatened to erupt into internal warfare, prompting the Commander-in-Chief's Residence to intervene.

• Chen Shi'an answered Dong Xiaochai's alchemy questions and told her she was ready to try refining an Origin-Strength Pill.
• Chen Shi'an left the Dong Family estate after sensing the dangerous aura of a gray-robed woman, and Dong Xiaochai asked him to teach her again if she needed help.
• Chen Shi'an stayed in Desolate Suppression City and secluded himself to cultivate the Great Evolution Saintly Art rather than involve himself in the Earth Pill Sect's coming turmoil.
• Three days later, the Earth Pill Sect discovered that Hong Qingliu, many senior leaders, and numerous disciples were missing, and searches found no trace of them.
• The remaining leaders argued over appointing an acting Sect Master as rival factions sought influence, turning the Earth Pill Sect into a powder keg.
• Gao Tianfang, Dong Fengwu, and Wu Dongchuang had investigated the disappearance without success, then the Commander-in-Chief's Residence intervened to prevent internal warfare.

Gao Tianfang confronted the Earth Pill Sect’s senior members over Hong Qingliu’s departure and announced that the Commander-in-Chief’s Residence would take control if no suitable Sect Master emerged. He then questioned Chen Shi'an and concluded that Hong Qingliu had fled with the sect’s core members, using staged disappearances to cover his escape.

• Gao Tianfang claimed Hong Qingliu had left Desolate Suppression City with loyal disciples and warned the Earth Pill Sect’s senior members that the Commander-in-Chief’s Residence might take control.
• Gao Tianfang told the senior members to convey his terms to the powers backing them and said he would appoint a Sect Master within days.
• Gao Tianfang visited Chen Shi'an in a secluded courtyard and asked him to recount how Hong Qingliu had sent him with the Origin-Replenishing Pills.
• Chen Shi'an described Hong Qingliu’s instructions and was shocked when Gao Tianfang said the Sect Master had fled the city.
• Gao Tianfang told Chen Shi'an that Zu Qingyan and Ba Dashan had staged their disappearances to prepare the way for Hong Qingliu and the sect’s core members.

Gao Tianfang urged Chen Shi'an to help stabilize the Earth Pill Sect and offered to make him its next Sect Master. Chen Shi'an, newly stirred to action but wary of Gao Tianfang's motives, asked why he had been chosen.

• Gao Tianfang told Chen Shi'an that Hong Qingliu had treated him as a pawn and suggested the increased Origin-Replenishing Pill quota might have prompted the sect leaders to flee.
• Chen Shi'an guessed that Military Judge Wu's intervention on the Chu Family's behalf had driven Hong Qingliu away, and Gao Tianfang grew angry that Wu had acted without consulting him.
• Gao Tianfang asked Chen Shi'an to help steady the Earth Pill Sect, but Chen said he planned to leave for Dingzhou.
• Gao Tianfang challenged Chen Shi'an to prove Hong Qingliu wrong, rekindling his resolve, then offered to help him become the next Sect Master.
• Chen Shi'an questioned whether he was qualified and asked Gao Tianfang why he had chosen him.

Gao Tianfang persuaded Chen Shi'an to become the Earth Pill Sect's Sect Master, promising not to interfere as long as the sect supplied pills to Desolate Suppression City. Chen Shi'an took office as Jing Yuan and consolidated his authority, leaving the sect's senior members and their backers dissatisfied.

• Gao Tianfang told Chen Shi'an that his clean background made him the best candidate to lead the Earth Pill Sect, and Chen agreed after securing a promise that Gao would not interfere in the sect's affairs.
• Gao Tianfang suspected Hong Qingliu had led the missing sect members either to Northern Liang or the Desolate Ruins, while Chen Shi'an suggested the Desolate Ruins might be a diversion.
• Gao Tianfang ordered Chen Shi'an to take office within three days, and Chen accepted so he could gain leverage over Desolate Suppression City.
• Two days later, Jing Yuan became Sect Master of the Earth Pill Sect at a ceremony attended by Gao Tianfang, Dong Fengwu, Wu Dongchuang, and other city leaders.
• Jing Yuan promoted his own people, seized authority from senior sect members, and suppressed those who threatened his position.
• The disgruntled senior members' supporters went to the Commander-in-Chief's Residence to complain to Gao Tianfang.

Chen Shi'an consolidated his control of the Earth Pill Sect by creating the Blood-Clad Guard, purging rivals, and introducing benefits for ordinary disciples. With the sect stabilized, he focused on cultivation and alchemy while planning to destroy the Chu Family when the opportunity arose.

• Chen Shi'an seized the Earth Pill Sect's core power, revised its laws, and established the Blood-Clad Guard to enforce his authority and monitor the sect.
• As Desolation battered the formation beneath Desolate Suppression City, Gao Tianfang waited for a formation master sent by the Qin Family of Dragon Soaring City.
• Chen Shi'an purged the remaining higher-ups and introduced measures that lowered costs for disciples and gave commoners more opportunities, renewing the sect despite its injuries.
• Chen Shi'an decided to eliminate the Chu Family but waited for a chance to strike, since Wu Dongchuang stood behind them.
• Chen Shi'an settled into Jing Yuan's courtyard to cultivate and refine pills, having advanced to fourth grade middle stage and neared the late-stage bottleneck.

Chen Shi'an praised Tong Xiao's rapid cultivation, cautioned him to build a firm foundation, and heard his report about a possible opportunity involving Wu Dongchuang's concubine, Yu Xian'er. After telling Tong Xiao to keep watching, Chen Shi'an received Dong Xiaochai and her family elder, Aunt Ma, in his courtyard.

• Chen Shi'an gave Tong Xiao Origin-Strength Pills and warned him not to pursue cultivation stages recklessly.
• Tong Xiao reported that Wu Dongchuang's favored concubine, Yu Xian'er, regularly visited Jinchun Garden to listen to songs.
• Chen Shi'an ordered Tong Xiao to keep watching the Wu Family without acting rashly, and Tong Xiao left.
• Chen Shi'an received Dong Xiaochai and greeted her companion, Aunt Ma, as an elder.

Chen Shi'an taught Dong Xiaochai alchemy and suspected she had developed feelings for him, though he worried that her visits could interfere with his plans and that she cared for Jing Yuan’s identity rather than his own. The next morning, he went to meet Gao Tianfang, who praised his handling of the Earth Pill Sect and asked what important matter had brought him there.

• Dong Xiaochai told Chen Shi'an that neither she nor her second uncle knew where Hong Qingliu and the others had gone, and Chen Shi'an worried that Liu Mu, Zhao Ya, and Wu Tian might discover their whereabouts.
• Dong Xiaochai asked Chen Shi'an for help refining an Origin-Strength Pill, and he taught her alchemy for nearly four hours.
• Dong Xiaochai praised Chen Shi'an’s teaching and asked him to call her Junior Sister; after she left, he wondered whether she had fallen for Jing Yuan and considered how to contact Mo Wuyang.
• The next morning, Chen Shi'an traveled to the Commander-in-Chief's Residence with eight Blood-Clad Guards and met Gao Tianfang.
• Gao Tianfang praised Chen Shi'an for bringing order to the Earth Pill Sect and asked what important business had brought him to the residence.

Chen Shi'an obtained permission to enter the Desolate Ruins and secretly met Mo Wuyang, who updated him on the Earth Pill Sect’s rebuilding and Fang Ruyu’s refusal to take his bait. He asked Mo Wuyang to carry instructions to Liu Qingyi and others before returning to Windrise Stronghold.

• Chen Shi'an persuaded Gao Tianfang to give the Earth Pill Sect a token allowing a few disciples to enter the Desolate Ruins for Spirit Herbs.
• Chen Shi'an disguised himself as an Earth Pill Sect disciple, slipped into the Desolate Ruins, and met Mo Wuyang in a valley.
• Chen Shi'an told Mo Wuyang about becoming the Earth Pill Sect's sect master, and Mo Wuyang reported that the sect's grounds were being rebuilt in Red Maple Valley.
• Mo Wuyang explained that Fang Ming had been imprisoned but Fang Ruyu had stayed at the Fang residence, refusing to react to Chen Shi'an's scheme.
• Chen Shi'an asked Mo Wuyang to tell Liu Qingyi to wait before sending Ba Dashan and Zu Qingyan to meet Hong Qingliu, and to keep Liu Mu, Wu Tian, and Zhao Ya from learning about the Earth Pill Sect.

Chen Shi'an returned to Desolate Suppression City and resumed cultivating, but violent tremors revealed that Desolation’s underground seal was failing. After Master Jueming and over a hundred experts entered the central circular building to reinforce it, the building collapsed, and Jueming warned Gao Tianfang that Desolation was about to break free.

• Chen Shi'an refined six Demon Cores but remained at the fourth grade middle stage, though the Saintly Dao Stele absorbed less of their power.
• Chen Shi'an waited with the returning group at Windrise Stronghold, and they left for Desolate Suppression City after one member failed to return.
• Violent tremors struck Desolate Suppression City, killing residents and prompting Gao Tianfang and the city's soldiers and experts to evacuate people and restore order.
• Chen Shi'an disguised himself and joined the crowd outside the central circular building as Gao Tianfang and Master Jueming led over a hundred experts inside.
• After the tremors briefly eased, they intensified and the circular building collapsed; Master Jueming emerged wounded and warned Gao Tianfang that Desolation was about to break free.

Gao Tianfang gathered Desolate Suppression City's forces around the ruins as Desolation emerged in the form of a blood-robed young man. The chapter ended as thousands of Black-Iron Arrows flew toward Desolation, who stood motionless with his hands behind his back.

• Gao Tianfang ordered every Ranked Martial Artist in the city to report to the ruins, while Chen Shi'an watched from a nearby teahouse and prepared to flee if the defenders failed.
• Gao Tianfang and Dong Fengwu arranged the Ranked Martial Artists and thousands of armed soldiers around the ruins, with Yan San standing beside Gao Tianfang.
• The ruins began trembling, and a mound erupted through them before Desolation appeared as a tall, handsome young man in a blood-red robe.
• Gao Tianfang ordered the soldiers to loose their arrows, and thousands of Black-Iron Arrows surged toward Desolation as he remained still.

The Blood-Clothed Man, also called Desolation, overwhelmed the attackers with his speed and strength after breaking free, terrifying the Martial Artists with a gruesome display. Gao Tianfang rallied his guards and the others to attack while Desolation was still weakened, and the group began to surround him.

• Thousands of Black-Iron Arrows stopped five feet from the Blood-Clothed Man and fell to the ground, after which he charged toward Gao Tianfang.
• Four Ranked Martial Artists attacked the Blood-Clothed Man, but he swiftly defeated them and left them gravely injured.
• The Blood-Clothed Man killed a Martial Artist by thrusting his hand through the man’s chest, then devoured his heart, causing many fighters to flee.
• Gao Tianfang led his guards into battle, and Master Jueming’s roar made the Blood-Clothed Man falter long enough for a Martial Artist to strike his back.
• The fighters regained their courage and surrounded the weakened Blood-Clothed Man, attacking him with their strongest moves.

The blood-robed man overwhelmed Desolate Suppression City's Martial Artists with a deadly attack using his hair, then turned on Master Jueming. Just as Jueming faced death, an old man in gray robes appeared and carried him to safety.

• Gao Tianfang organized the Martial Artists into rotating groups, and Master Jueming's Mind Power attacks helped them weaken the blood-robed man.
• The blood-robed man charged toward Jueming, then unleashed thousands of black hairs that killed or injured dozens and drove the Martial Artists to flee.
• Gao Tianfang urged Yan San to escape and tried to hold off the blood-robed man, who changed direction and attacked Jueming instead.
• The blood-robed man struck Dong Fengwu aside and shattered Jueming's Mind Power Sword, leaving Jueming unable to escape his claw.
• An old man in gray robes appeared out of thin air, grabbed Jueming, and retreated thirty feet.

Mu Qinghai and a white-haired void separation realm expert arrived to fight the blood-robed man, with Chen Tiantian accompanying the old woman. They restrained the blood-robed man, and the Dragon-Headed Cane pierced his skull, leaving his fate unresolved.

• Mu Qinghai arrived and confronted the weakened blood-robed man, while Gao Tianfang identified him as Elder Mu from Dragon Soaring City.
• A white-haired old woman arrived with Chen Tiantian, whom Chen Shi'an recognized but did not greet to protect his identity.
• The old woman attacked the blood-robed man with three swords of origin force, wounding him, then joined Mu Qinghai in battle.
• The old woman and Mu Qinghai immobilized the blood-robed man with a restraining method.
• The old woman's Dragon-Headed Cane plunged into the blood-robed man's skull.

An Qianlan suppressed the seemingly immortal blood-robed Desolation and prepared to seal him underground with Mu Qinghai and the martial artists. After learning Chen Tiantian wanted to visit the Desolate Ruins, An Qianlan forbade her, leaving Chen Shi'an troubled as Yan San approached the old matriarch on behalf of his grandfather.

• The blood-robed man survived a staff thrust through his skull, and An Qianlan said she would suppress him again rather than kill him.
• Mu Qinghai bound the blood-robed man while An Qianlan swept him into the underground hole, and Gao Tianfang assembled a hundred martial artists to follow Mu Qinghai.
• An Qianlan revealed that she had come with her disciple Chen Tiantian, and she criticized Master Jueming's Jianan Mountain lineage for failing to suppress the Desolation.
• Chen Tiantian asked to visit the Desolate Ruins, but An Qianlan refused and warned she would keep her from leaving Dragon Soaring City if she asked again.
• Chen Shi'an watched Chen Tiantian turn tearful as she looked toward the Desolate Ruins, while Yan San approached An Qianlan and conveyed greetings from his grandfather, Ji Tianyou.

Ji Tianyou revealed himself as the Sacred Martial Dynasty’s third prince and tried to win Chen Tiantian’s favor, but she remained cold toward him. After An Qianlan left Desolate Suppression City with her, Chen Shi'an followed them and was caught; Ji Tianyou accused him of plotting to murder the prince and ordered his guards to seize him.

• An Qianlan recognized Ji Tianyou as the third prince, agreed to let him accompany her and Chen Tiantian, and then departed with her disciple.
• Ji Tianyou tried to court Chen Tiantian, who responded coolly, while Chen Shi'an silently celebrated her rejection.
• After the Desolation was suppressed and martial law ended, Chen Shi'an followed An Qianlan and Chen Tiantian out of Desolate Suppression City.
• An Qianlan detected Chen Shi'an hiding behind an old tree and confronted him; he claimed he had followed her out of curiosity and she ordered him to leave.
• Ji Tianyou arrived with guards, accused Chen Shi'an of plotting to murder him, and ordered the guards to seize him.

Chen Shi'an was nearly seized by Ji Tianyou’s guards, but Chen Tiantian persuaded An Qianlan to let them speak. After learning that Chen Tiantian was his niece, Chen Shi'an left for Desolate Suppression City, determined to gain enough status before visiting the Qin Family in Dragon Soaring City.

• Ji Tianyou ordered his guards to seize Chen Shi'an, but Chen Tiantian asked him to spare the man who resembled an elder of hers.
• Chen Tiantian persuaded An Qianlan to allow them a brief conversation, then sent Ji Tianyou and his guards away.
• Chen Tiantian asked Chen Shi'an about the Desolate Ruins and learned he had seen Chen Shi'an at the Gathering of Heroes.
• Chen Shi'an praised Chen Shi'an's looks and prospects, and Chen Tiantian revealed that he was her youngest uncle and the person closest to her.
• Chen Shi'an returned toward Desolate Suppression City, realizing he needed a status An Qianlan would respect before going to Dragon Soaring City to visit the Qin Family.

Chen Shi'an discovered that the Saintly Dao Stele absorbed Desolation's blood from rubble and recovered, but a presence in one of its graves drove his thoughts out of the Graveyard Space. After collecting the blood until dusk, he returned to the Earth Pill Sect and called an emergency meeting about the Commander-in-Chief's Residence summoning Entry-Rank experts.

• Chen Shi'an followed a cart of Central Ruins rubble to a muddy pond, where the Saintly Dao Stele absorbed Desolation's blood from the debris.
• Chen Shi'an entered the Graveyard Space and was blasted out of it by a cold snort when his thoughts touched a gravestone.
• Chen Shi'an waited for more debris carts and used the Saintly Dao Stele to absorb the blood, discovering he could now summon and withdraw it at will.
• Chen Shi'an returned to the Earth Pill Sect and learned that the Commander-in-Chief's Residence had invited Entry-Rank experts to leave with them.
• Chen Shi'an ordered the sect's senior members to assemble for an emergency meeting.

After witnessing Desolation's power, Chen Shi'an called on the Earth Pill Sect to build its martial strength and earn true respect. He purged disloyal senior members and announced reforms to cultivate its own martial talents while recruiting expert retainers.

• Chen Shi'an told the sect's senior members that Desolate Suppression City faced grave danger and that the Earth Pill Sect was too weak to defend itself.
• He condemned the sect's empty reputation as the city's First Pill Sect and pledged to make it the foremost sect and power through strength in both alchemy and martial arts.
• Chen Shi'an ordered the Blood-Clad Guards to arrest Ma Sanyuan, Du Dapeng, Fang Feiyin, and other senior members for secretly colluding with rival powers.
• He explained that the sect would recruit promising young talents in both the Alchemy Dao and Martial Dao, nurture its own fighters, and continue hiring expert retainers to protect and train them.