Chapter Summaries

Cao Jinxing and Lu Kunlun recovered from the battle, reached the jade flat peach tree, and divided its three remaining fruits. They left Black Mud Marsh to absorb the peaches, while Su Miaoyun’s disappearance revealed that she had survived her wound.

• Cao Jinxing treated Lu Kunlun’s wounds with a Primordial Chaos Pill, and the two continued deeper into the peach grove.
• Cao Jinxing and Lu Kunlun released Wei Wuyan and Old Zhou, who agreed to let them take the jade flat peaches.
• Wei Wuyan showed them the tree and gave them its three remaining peaches; Lu Kunlun took one, while Cao Jinxing kept two and gave the smaller one to Fourteen.
• Cao Jinxing and Lu Kunlun left the grove and discovered that Su Miaoyun’s body had vanished, leaving only a pool of blood.
• Cao Jinxing chose not to pursue Su Miaoyun, and he and Lu Kunlun left Black Mud Marsh to absorb the peaches.

Cao Jinxing and Xuan Yuan Fourteen consumed their jade flat peaches in seclusion, greatly increasing their strength. At True Origin Temple, Jiang Lvxia treated the wounded Su Miaoyun, learned that Cao Jinxing had defeated their pursuers, and began planning a rescue and revenge.

• Cao Jinxing took Xuan Yuan Fourteen into his cellar to absorb their jade flat peaches in seclusion.
• Xuan Yuan Fourteen swallowed his peach and grew larger and stronger as its energy boosted his internal power.
• Cao Jinxing absorbed his peach’s energy, advanced to the fourth level of xiantian, and covered the cellar in frost.
• Zhang Yunqing found the bloodied Su Miaoyun at True Origin Temple and used a Life-Sustaining Elixir to save her.
• Jiang Lvxia revealed herself to Su Miaoyun and identified Cao Jinxing and Lu Kunlun as the men who defeated their pursuers.
• Jiang Lvxia ordered Madam Feng and the others to withdraw from Red Sleeve House and planned to rescue Uncle Xiang while killing Cao Jinxing.

After breaking through with a Jade Flat Peach, Cao Jinxing visited the Imperial Prison’s third level with Shen Xiang and learned about its defenses and prisoners. Shen Xiang ended by revealing that only Li Shengtian had ever escaped, from the ninth level.

• Cao Jinxing woke after his breakthrough, ate, and arrived late at the Imperial Prison.
• Su Yunsheng told Cao Jinxing that Shen Xiang wanted to see him on the third level.
• Shen Xiang introduced Cao Jinxing to prison guardian Xu Quan, whose family practiced the fifth-grade Dream-Maze Swordplay.
• Shen Xiang showed Cao Jinxing the third level’s defenses and explained that its notorious prisoners had their shoulder blades pierced and their cultivation sealed off from use.
• Cao Jinxing asked whether anyone had escaped, and Shen Xiang said Li Shengtian was the sole escapee, having fled from the ninth level.

Cao Jinxing and Shen Xiang inspected the Imperial Prison’s mechanism chamber and learned about its creator, Kuai Xiang. Their tour was interrupted when Jiang Aqi suddenly attacked Xiang Qianli’s cell, leaving them to investigate.

• Shen Xiang introduced guards Jiang Aqi and Tian Jinghu outside the chamber, then entered with Cao Jinxing.
• Shen Xiang showed Cao Jinxing the control hub and explained that Kuai Xiang had designed the Imperial Prison’s mechanisms.
• Tian Jinghu shouted as Jiang Aqi rushed toward Xiang Qianli’s cell and tried to hack its lock.
• Shen Xiang used Sword Control by Qi to wound Jiang Aqi, and the jailers restrained him.
• Shen Xiang left Xu Quan to watch the chamber and ordered Tian Jinghu to explain what had happened.

Cao Jinxing and Shen Xiang uncovered an attempted prison break involving mind-controlling Gu and Mechanical Beasts, but the attackers’ mechanisms threatened the secret chamber. Tie Xiongshi arrived on the third level to free Xiang Qianli as [Red Dragon] slipped inside to interfere with the prison’s mechanisms.

• Jiang Aqi was controlled by a Gu after hearing a flute, and a Mechanical Beast emerged from his throat and released poisonous smoke that killed him.
• Cao Jinxing froze the poison, while the first Earth Gecko escaped through the food hatch into the Cold Cell with Jiang Aqi’s short saber.
• Cao Jinxing accused Tian Jinghu of colluding with the Bright Sect and immobilized him, but another Earth Gecko burst from Tian Jinghu’s abdomen and killed him.
• The second Earth Gecko, identified by Shen Xiang as [Red Dragon], resisted Cao Jinxing’s sword and slipped into the secret chamber to delay its mechanisms.
• Tie Xiongshi, the Bright Cult’s Ape King, arrived on the third level and announced that he had come to get Xiang Qianli.

Xiang Qianli escaped his restraints but was blocked by Cao Jinxing, who wounded him with the Snow Soul Sword and Xuan Yuan Fourteen before blasting him back into his cell. Tie Xiongshi rescued him under cover of Soul-Seizing Zither Music, but a new musician emerged and changed the music into a heartrending lament as they tried to flee.

• The Earth Gecko freed Xiang Qianli from his hooks and gave him a pill that healed his back, though his right arm remained ruined.
• Cao Jinxing intercepted Xiang Qianli at the cell door, deflected his blade, and forced him back with swordsmanship and a palm strike.
• Cao Jinxing used Sword Control by Qi to attack Xiang Qianli, while Xuan Yuan Fourteen blinded Xiang Qianli in one eye with a claw strike.
• Cao Jinxing struck Xiang Qianli in the chest with Calamitous Clouds Descend and sent him crashing into the cell door.
• Tie Xiongshi knocked aside Shen Xiang's sword, carried the injured Xiang Qianli, and called for the Soul-Seizing Zither Music.
• A figure emerged from the secret chamber with a bowed fiddle and played a mournful note that shook Tie Xiongshi and disrupted the escape.

Tie Xiongshi’s rescue plan collapsed as Shen Xiang and Cao Jinxing fought back, while Su Miaoyun and Jiang Lvxia tried to cover the escape with music and a secret art. The chapter ended with Cao Jinxing striking Tie Xiongshi and Xiang Qianli with sword qi, bringing both men down.

• Tie Xiongshi used his staff to force Shen Xiang and Cao Jinxing back, then carried Xiang Qianli toward the prison exit while Xu Quan battled Su Miaoyun’s music.
• Jiang Lvxia empowered Su Miaoyun with the Sacred Fire Canon’s Great Radiance Aspect, but Xu Quan overwhelmed their music and injured them both.
• Jiang Lvxia called Chen Xiaotian into the prison to cover the escape, but Cao Jinxing beheaded him after he caught Shen Xiang’s sword.
• Shen Xiang and Cao Jinxing pursued Tie Xiongshi as he leaped over the prison walls with Xiang Qianli.
• Cao Jinxing struck Tie Xiongshi with Heavenly Sword-Linked Finger, and the sword qi pierced both him and Xiang Qianli, sending them crashing to the ground.

Cao Jinxing and Shen Xiang stopped the Bright Sect’s prison break, and Liu Zhenyuan arranged for the Eastern Depot to investigate the Zhao Family. Cao Jinxing received a rare Embroidered Spring Saber to use, then returned to the Imperial Prison as the wounded were treated and the aftermath continued.

• Cao Jinxing and the jailers captured the wounded Left Envoy of Light and Ape King after the prison break failed.
• Shen Xiang reported the escape attempt to Liu Zhenyuan, who decided to involve the Eastern Depot in investigating the Zhao Family.
• Liu Zhenyuan awarded Cao Jinxing the thirteenth Embroidered Spring Saber for his service, though he said it did not mean Cao Jinxing had been appointed to the vacant Thirteen Guardians position.
• Cao Jinxing inspected the saber and returned to the Imperial Prison, where an imperial physician treated the wounded wardens, Sun Lang, and Su Yunsheng.

Cao Jinxing inspected the Imperial Prison after the battle and began learning Sonic Wave Skill from Xu Quan to defend against mind-affecting music. Shen Xiang returned with the Ape King's staff and the Seven-Star Saber, which Cao Jinxing planned to sell at the Ghost Market while wearing his official uniform.

• Cao Jinxing took charge of the Imperial Prison again, checked the lower levels, and learned that the Divine Axe Sect disciples had repaired the central mechanism after Red Dragon was encased in resin.
• Cao Jinxing asked Xu Quan how to guard against sonic attacks, then began learning flute and the basics of Sonic Wave Skill.
• Shen Xiang returned and gave Cao Jinxing the Coiling Dragon Golden Staff and the short saber taken from the prison intruders.
• Xu Quan identified the staff as a treasure from Dharma Cave, while Shen Xiang identified the saber as the Seven-Star Saber and explained its history.
• Cao Jinxing decided to sell both weapons at the Ghost Market in his official uniform, despite Shen Xiang warning him about their owners.

Cao Jinxing went to the Ghost Market with Zhang Chengfeng to sell weapons and buy medicine, but learned that witnesses had already spread word of his fight with the Bright Sect throughout the capital. The chapter left him realizing his reputation had grown far beyond his control.

• Zhang Chengfeng invited Cao Jinxing to visit his recovering father, then offered to accompany him to the Ghost Market and help appraise goods.
• Cao Jinxing and Zhang Chengfeng arrived at Fish-Eye Cave, where Cao Jinxing's Embroidered Uniform Guard attire frightened the waiting crowd.
• Zhang Chengfeng led Cao Jinxing to the Huang Family's Green Jade Tower to sell his unusual weapons and buy pills.
• Xie An recognized the short saber as Tyrant Saber Manor's hereditary token and the gloves as Smiling Tiger's Darksteel Gloves, then invited Cao Jinxing into a private room.
• Xie An told Cao Jinxing that witnesses had already spread news of his fight with the Bright Sect, and Zhang Chengfeng revealed that he had known about it too.