Chapter Summaries

The Fire Phoenix and its allies battled the Qin Mausoleum’s golden men while the Opera House and Demon Cult discussed joining forces to reach the Underground Palace and break the seal on the fiendish beasts. The Fire Phoenix melted three golden men with its Undying Fire, but Xiangjun suddenly darted in to seize their fallen weapons.

• Qilin, Qiongqi, the White-Browed Daoist, Zhao Xizhen, Wang Daozong, and the Kunlun Sword wielder fought the twelve golden men as the Fire Phoenix gathered its Undying Fire.
• The Opera Officer deduced that the Divine Beasts intended to reach the sealed chamber, and Li Shengtian revealed that the Nine Provinces Cauldrons anchored the sealing formation.
• Li Shengtian proposed that the Opera House and Demon Cult cooperate to reach the Underground Palace, while the Opera Officer suspected he had a hidden agenda and weighed the shared goal against their common obstacles.
• The Fire Phoenix unleashed its Undying Fire, melting three golden men until only their skeletons remained and their immortal artifacts fell to the ground.
• Xiangjun suddenly rushed in to grab the three fallen weapons.

Cao Jinxing recovered the Zhuxian Sword and Shangjun Mirror before the Music Official’s Rao Liang and pipa music disrupted the battle for the inner city. After Lu Bing revealed that he knew Cao Jinxing had altered the map and approved of his choice, Cao Jinxing opened a hidden passage leading to the true Hall of the Four Seas Returning to One.

• Cao Jinxing controlled Xiangjun to seize the Zhuxian Sword and Shangjun Mirror, but White-Browed Daoist fought it back until Rao Liang’s White Snow forced Xiangjun to retreat.
• The Music Official played Clear Horn against White Snow, giving the others time to pass through the Bronze Gate and enter the inner city.
• Fire Phoenix, Qiongqi, and Qilin advanced toward the Hall of the Four Seas Returning to One, where three golden men guarded the entrance with Immortal Artifacts.
• Cao Jinxing led the Pacification Commission through the hidden passage to the steps beneath the main hall, while Lu Bing sent He Qianqiu and the Shadow Guards ahead to await a chance to attack Qiongqi.
• Lu Bing told Cao Jinxing he knew the map had been altered and supported his choice to pursue what the Nine Provinces Cauldrons meant for the common people.
• Cao Jinxing bowed to Lu Bing, then activated a mechanism that opened a second passage toward the true Hall of the Four Seas Returning to One.

Cao Jinxing entered the yin tomb and began awakening a general figurine at the Nine Provinces Cauldrons, but Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five and the old shopkeeper arrived before he could act. As Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five revealed his research into the ancient gods, Cao Jinxing continued secretly feeding the figurine his blood.

• Cao Jinxing entered the Hall of the Four Seas Returning to One and found the Nine Provinces Cauldrons guarded by a towering general figurine.
• Cao Jinxing began using his blood to awaken the figurine when Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five entered the hall.
• The old shopkeeper arrived with Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five, who attacked Cao Jinxing but was blocked by Cao Jinxing’s Mohist sword technique.
• The old shopkeeper allowed Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five to explain his findings, while Cao Jinxing kept feeding blood to the figurine.
• Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five described clues pointing to gods and revealed that he had deciphered an ancient Turtle Shell found in Kunlun fifteen years earlier.

Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five theorized that the Nine Provinces Cauldrons and Five Sages Beasts could reopen the path to Heaven, but Cao Jinxing stopped him from testing the cauldron. The general figurine awakened as Bai Qi, revealed Zhao Gao as his ancient enemy, and pursued him, leaving Cao Jinxing to face Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five.

• Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five and the old shopkeeper deduced that the gods above Kunlun, the Nine Provinces Cauldrons, and the Five Sages Beasts were connected to the lost path to Heaven.
• Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five struck at the Nine Provinces Cauldron to test his theory, but Cao Jinxing intercepted the blow and warned that taking the cauldron would be dangerous.
• The old shopkeeper declared that he intended to seize the cauldron to claim a power Ying Zheng had hidden in the Underground Palace.
• The clay casing fell from the general figurine, revealing Bai Qi, who recognized the old shopkeeper as Zhao Gao and confronted him.
• Bai Qi gave Cao Jinxing the Godslayer Spear and pursued the fleeing Zhao Gao, while Cao Jinxing stayed behind to fight Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five.

Cao Jinxing awakened the Qin Mausoleum’s hundred thousand terracotta soldiers and used them to fatally wound Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five, but Zhang Guangchuan rescued him. Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five then drained Zhang Guangchuan’s vitality with the Life-Consuming Art, killed him, and prepared to face Cao Jinxing again.

• Cao Jinxing used the Nine Provinces Cauldrons and the God-Slaying Spear to awaken the terracotta army throughout the Qin Mausoleum.
• The terracotta soldiers trapped Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five, and Cao Jinxing attacked him through Xiangjun until his heart was shredded.
• Zhang Guangchuan arrived in a bolt of lightning and carried the gravely wounded Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five out of the mausoleum.
• Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five pretended to reveal Guigu secret arts while secretly draining Zhang Guangchuan’s vitality with the Life-Consuming Art.
• Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five recovered, killed Zhang Guangchuan, and vowed to confront Cao Jinxing again.

The intruders entered the Yang Tomb’s Hall of the Four Seas Returning to One and found the legendary Great Dao Stele and countless treasures, but both had been poisoned to ensnare or kill anyone who touched them. As Lu Bing waited outside for Cao Jinxing’s reinforcements, a vast army of terracotta soldiers and horses charged down the passage.

• The Golden Men were defeated, and their immortal weapons vanished before the intruders could seize them; Qilin, Fire Phoenix, Qiongqi, and the assembled experts entered the hall.
• Jiang Qingyang and other intruders rushed to the Great Dao Stele and the scattered treasures, while Li Shengtian suspected the tomb’s apparent lack of defenses was a trap.
• An assassin who touched the treasures went mad and attacked his companions, and the Performer Official identified Beast-Heart Powder poisoning the treasures.
• Li Shengtian realized the Great Dao Stele’s diagrams had been treated with Soul-Severing Powder; Jiang Qingyang died after Li forced him to look away, and Li ordered a retreat.
• Outside the hall, Lu Bing told He Qianqiu and the Eighteen Shadow Guards to wait for Cao Jinxing’s reinforcements and focus on killing Qiongqi.
• Thousands of terracotta soldiers and horses charged toward Lu Bing’s group, arriving as reinforcements.

Meng Tian confronted Zhao Gao on Mount Li and defeated him, forcing Zhao Gao to use the Spirit Roaming Beyond the Body Art to possess a young herb gatherer. Meng Tian killed both brothers despite Zhao Gao’s attempt to deceive him, then headed toward the Underground Palace as his own failing body neared death.

• Meng Tian revealed that he had survived for eighteen hundred years after taking the Longevity and Immortality Elixir, and vowed to kill Zhao Gao for his role in Prince Fusu’s death and Great Qin’s fall.
• Meng Tian and Zhao Gao fought across Mount Li, and Meng Tian’s superior battlefield skill left Zhao Gao gravely wounded.
• Cornered, Zhao Gao used the Spirit Roaming Beyond the Body Art to transfer his spirit into the older of two herb-gathering brothers hiding in a cave.
• Meng Tian entered the cave and killed both brothers, thwarting Zhao Gao’s attempt to escape through deception.
• Meng Tian’s body began to fail after the battle, but he refused to take another dose of the elixir and went toward the Underground Palace to eliminate the villains disturbing the tombs.
• Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five watched the battle from hiding and sighed with relief after Meng Tian departed.

Cao Jinxing and his allies battled the revived Terracotta Warriors and the Three Fiends inside the Qin Mausoleum. Lu Bing killed Qiongqi, while the Qilin and Fire Phoenix remained embroiled in the fight.

• Thousands of Terracotta Warriors surged into Black Jade Terrace as the Divine Beasts and their allies sensed the Three Fiends underground and tried to break through the seal.
• Lu Bing and the Shadow Guards attacked the Divine Beasts, while Cao Jinxing, controlling Xiangjun, ambushed the White-Browed Daoist with the Yin-Yang Harmonizing Qi Hand and the Shangjun Mirror.
• The Shadow Guards killed the White-Browed Daoist, and He Qianqiu killed the Xie Clan members while the Qilin and Fire Phoenix fought off their attackers.
• Lu Bing fought Li Xuanzong, then exploited Li Xuanzong's struggle against Qiongqi's control to freeze him and attack Qiongqi.
• Cao Jinxing trapped Qiongqi with the Lost Array, and Lu Bing severed its limbs and head with successive blows before Cao Jinxing destroyed its head with the God-Slaying Spear.

Cao Jinxing killed Qiongqi, but Qiongqi’s dying illusion tricked Lu Bing into striking the Nine Provinces Cauldrons and breaking the seal. The Three Fiends emerged, and as Lu Bing rushed to fight them, a mysterious warrior appeared and attacked Taowu with the Nation-Suppressing Axe.

• Cao Jinxing beheaded Qiongqi, freeing its puppets from Dao Heart Sowing Demons, then killed the awakened Zhao Xizhen.
• The Qilin and Fire Phoenix descended into the yin tomb and attacked Cao Jinxing, who fought them while suppressing the Three Fiends beneath the altar.
• Lu Bing saw an illusion planted by Qiongqi and swung the Nation-Suppressing Axe at the Nine Provinces Cauldrons, breaking the Lost Array and badly injuring Cao Jinxing.
• The altar split open, and Taotie, Taowu, and Hundun burst out as He Qianqiu carried Cao Jinxing away and Lu Bing prepared to fight.
• A mysterious warrior pinned Taowu to the ground with a spear, took the Nation-Suppressing Axe from Lu Bing, and struck at Taowu’s head.

Meng Tian killed Taowu but White Tiger rescued the surviving Divine Beasts and escaped the Qin Mausoleum. As the tomb began to collapse, Meng Tian gave Cao Jinxing his cultivation and died, leaving Cao to mourn him.

• Meng Tian used the Nation-Suppressing Axe to kill Taowu with a strike that severed its shadow body.
• White Tiger swept Qilin, Fire Phoenix, Taotie, and Hundun out of the tomb, while Meng Tian coughed blood and told the others to leave.
• Lu Bing and He Qianqiu led the wounded and Shadow Guards out, and Lu Bing noticed that the Nine Provinces Cauldrons had vanished.
• Meng Tian revealed that he had read Cao Jinxing's thoughts and divined his fortune, then decided to pass on his power to him.
• Meng Tian transferred his cultivation to Cao Jinxing, advanced his Faxiang realm, and died as the Qin Mausoleum began to collapse.
• Cao Jinxing knelt before Meng Tian's body and bowed his head in grief.

After the Qin Mausoleum collapsed, Cao Jinxing learned that the Opera House’s officials had abducted Huang Fangling to obtain her Azure Dragon power for Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five’s plan. He arrived too late to stop them, then began rallying powerful allies to rescue her.

• Cao Jinxing left the collapsed Qin Mausoleum with Meng Tian’s manuals and told Lu Bing that Meng Tian had given him his power.
• Lu Bing sent Jiajing a report detailing the Three Fiends, the stolen Nine Provinces Cauldrons, and Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five’s scheme.
• Cao Jinxing realized Huang Fangling was in danger and flew toward Medicine King Valley.
• The Performer Official and Music Official forced Huang Fangling to leave with them, intending to take her Azure Dragon power to Heavenly Demon Cave.
• Cao Jinxing arrived after Huang Fangling had been taken, freed the wounded Medicine King Valley elders, and asked Wei Yunqing to provide Invisible Falcons.
• Cao Jinxing wrote letters seeking help from Song Chengxi, An Qisheng, Master Lingchan, Qin Zhaonan, Fang Bingtian, Lu Dengfeng, Wan Heqing, Lu Kunlun, and Gu Xiaoyu.

Cao Jinxing’s plea to rescue Huang Fangling drew martial artists and court officials into a campaign against the Demon Cult on Kunlun Mountain. The chapter ended with Jiajing ordering an eighty-thousand-strong army to march and authorizing the Grand Protectors to join the expedition.

• Qin Zhaonan delivered Cao Jinxing’s letter and the Withering Art manual to An Qisheng, who agreed to master the art and travel with him to help rescue Huang Fangling.
• Song Chengxi read Cao Jinxing’s letter, decided to go to Kunlun Mountain, and invited Five Immortals Cult disciples to witness the coming battle.
• Master Lingchan, Lu Kunlun, Lu Dengfeng, Fang Bingtian, the Gu Family, and Wan Heqing set out with their followers to aid Cao Jinxing.
• Lu Bing asked Jiajing for leave to join Cao Jinxing and He Qianqiu in rescuing Huang Fangling, and Jiajing instead ordered eighty thousand garrison troops to march on Kunlun Mountain.
• Jiajing assigned Thirteen to command the troops and ordered the Grand Protectors to join the campaign and eradicate the Demon Cult.

Li Shengtian prepared to open the Heavenly Gate by gathering the Five Sages’ powers while Cao Jinxing’s allies advanced on Kunlun to rescue Huang Fangling. As the Taiping Way’s leaders braced for battle, Huang Fangling prayed for Jinxing’s safety.

• Li Shengtian learned that Cao Jinxing had rallied Jianghu factions and an army, then ordered Zhang Wanqing to secure the Five Sages’ powers and keep Huang Fangling captive.
• Zhang Wanqing reported that Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five had found the White Tiger’s heir among the Su family and that the Four Ghosts were bringing Peng Zu’s descendant, Qian Lang, to Kunlun as the Black Tortoise’s heir.
• Li Shengtian entered seclusion to use the Nine Provinces Cauldrons to absorb China’s Ancestral Vein, leaving Zhang Wanqing in charge of the cult.
• Music Official taunted Huang Fangling about Cao Jinxing’s rescue attempt, but she challenged the Taiping Way’s assumptions about what lay beyond the Heavenly Gate.
• Music Official nearly attacked Huang Fangling, but Performer Official stopped him and revealed that he could already wield the Fire Phoenix’s power.
• Performer Official warned that their enemies were approaching in force, and Huang Fangling silently prayed for Jinxing’s safety as battle drew near.

Cao Jinxing led eighty thousand troops and an alliance of martial arts experts to attack the Demon Cult’s stronghold at Jade Void Peak. As the battle began, Li Shengtian and his allies used the Nine Provinces Cauldrons and the powers of five sacred beasts to summon the Heavenly Gate Stele.

• Cao Jinxing gathered the commanders and allied martial arts experts at Jade Void Peak, confirmed Huang Fangling was alive, and led the army’s charge against the Demon Cult.
• Zhang Wanqing ordered the Demon Cult’s forces to deploy the Taiping Five Elements Formation, whose water formation bogged down the government cavalry.
• Lu Bing attacked the formation with the Nation-Suppressing Axe as Cao Jinxing and the other experts prepared to break through.
• Atop the Heavenly Demon Platform, Li Shengtian assembled Huang Fangling, Su Guanyi, Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five, Performer Official, and Qian Lang around the Nine Provinces Cauldrons to channel the five sacred-beast powers.
• The Nine Provinces Cauldrons lit up and released a towering azure light that began forming the Heavenly Gate Stele.

Cao Jinxing’s army broke through the Demon Cult’s formation, and he rescued Huang Fangling while the battle for the Heavenly Gate began. As Cao Jinxing faced Li Shengtian, Li revealed that he planned to use the Nine Provinces Cauldrons with the Swallowing-Heaven Demon Art and unleashed Samadhi True Fire.

• Cao Jinxing shot Zhang Wanqing twice, killing him and disrupting the Taiping Five Elements Formation, then led the imperial army in an attack.
• Taotie and Hundun burst from underground and fought Liu Zhenyuan’s allies while Cao Jinxing and four companions charged toward the Heavenly Demon Platform.
• Cao Jinxing rescued Huang Fangling from the Music Official, gave her a Fortune Creation Pill, and sent her away with Fourteen.
• The Sword Venerable attacked Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five, while Lu Bing, Lü Fu, and Song Chengxi fought five Faxiang Peak experts on the platform.
• Li Shengtian urged Cao Jinxing to submit, then revealed his plans for the Nine Provinces Cauldrons and unleashed Samadhi True Fire.

Cao Jinxing and his allies fought Li Shengtian and the Demon Cult at Jade Void Peak, where Cao Jinxing broke through to the Heavenly Being Realm and defeated Li Shengtian. After the battle, the survivors subdued the remaining Demon Cult forces, while the Heavenly Gate remained open and unexplored.

• Song Chengxi used Exploding Acupoints to kill the Heavenly Secret Sect elder and defeat Performer Official, while Lu Bing and Song Chengxi finished off the remaining opponents.
• Cao Jinxing used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Great Art to kick the Nine Provinces Cauldrons away and break Li Shengtian's Lost Array, but Li Shengtian severely wounded him and revealed the Heavenly Being Realm.
• Cao Jinxing understood the Heavenly Being Realm by watching Li Shengtian, broke through, and used One Qi Transforms into the Three Pure Ones to stab him from behind.
• Cao Jinxing summoned a lightning dragon that killed Li Shengtian, then killed Heavenly Secret Twenty-Five before collapsing from the backlash.
• An Qisheng took Cao Jinxing into his care as the others wiped out the Demon Cult followers and sealed the two Fierce Beasts in the Heavenly Demon Cave.
• The upheaval in the Jianghu ended, but the Heavenly Gate remained open.

Cao Jinxing married Huang Fangling and Qin Xuanji in a lavish ceremony attended by officials and martial artists from across the realm. In the back courtyard, Bai Yunxiu offered Xuan Yuan Fourteen five-poison cakes, and the cat accepted her hint that she hoped to become another mistress.

• Xuan Yuan Fourteen woke to find Cao Jinxing dressing for his wedding and fretted about sharing his bed with the brides.
• Guests arrived with gifts, and Shen Xiang and Lu Yi discussed how to handle presents from the Yan Faction.
• Lü Fu delivered the emperor's wedding gifts, including Ageless Pills for the brides.
• Cao Jinxing, Huang Fangling, and Qin Xuanji completed the wedding ceremony, and guests celebrated with a banquet.
• Xuan Yuan Fourteen found Yinghuo eating five-poison cakes with Bai Yunxiu, then accepted Bai Yunxiu's offer of the cakes and her suggestion that she might join Cao Jinxing's household.