Chapter Summaries

Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde led a Zhou Family group to the Yang Kingdom to investigate its demonic insect plague and seek ways to combat it. After gathering reports in the Great Cloud Country, the two entered the ravaged territory and followed a swarm toward its nest, hoping to capture second-rank insects.

• Zhou Chun and the Grand Elders decided to send a group to the Yang Kingdom, with Zhou Mingde leading Zhou Chun, Zhou Jiapeng, Zhou Jiawei, and Zhou Zhengqing.
• Zhou Mingde’s group traveled with Green Lotus Temple’s aid, where Zhou Chun met Liu Shiyun and received a cold greeting.
• The Zhou Family group reached the Great Cloud Country and learned that poisons were difficult to use against the swarms, while burning and freezing were the most effective methods known.
• Zhou Mingde sent Zhou Chun and himself into the Yang Kingdom to observe the insects and capture live specimens, while the others stayed behind to gather information.
• Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde rode the Golden Winged Tiger into the burned wasteland, then followed foraging demonic insects toward their nest.

Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde captured demonic insects for Zhou Jiawei’s research, then learned that hundreds of thousands of cultivators had gathered to intercept the migrating swarm at the Yang Kingdom–Rong Country border. As the battle erupted, the Nascent Soul cultivators attacked and forced the hidden Insect King to reveal itself.

• Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde disrupted a small demonic insect nest, killed most of its defenders, and captured more than twenty First-tier insects and over a hundred ordinary insects for Zhou Jiawei.
• Zhou Chun suggested that Zhou Jiawei develop poisonous smoke, but Zhou Jiawei explained that creating smoke effective against demonic insects would be difficult.
• Zhou Jiapeng reported that cultivators from several countries had gathered to intercept the migrating swarms, and Zhou Mingde and Zhou Chun concluded that the battle would likely target the Insect King.
• More than a hundred thousand cultivators met the insect swarm near the Rong Country border, and both sides began a massive battle.
• Nascent Soul stage cultivators unleashed powerful attacks that killed millions of demonic insects and forced the hidden Insect King to reveal itself.

The Insect King led a vast swarm against the human cultivators, but their attacks weakened it as it tried to break through into Rong Country. After a red-haired old man wounded it with fire and ice, a silver-white Sword Qi killed it, and a silver-robed man claimed the Flying Sword named Flying Rainbow.

• The Insect King gathered billions of demonic insects into a giant formation and attacked the human cultivators, killing more than a thousand with a barrage of spiritual-power pillars.
• The human Nascent Soul stage cultivators battered the giant swarm until the Insect King split it into twenty-four groups and fled toward Rong Country.
• Several Nascent Soul stage cultivators pursued the Insect King, reducing its swarm until it could no longer match a Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivator.
• The Insect King gathered its remaining high-level insects into a golden spear and broke through toward Rong Country, where a red-haired old man burned it with a purple-red bronze mirror and struck it with icy light.
• The Insect King attempted to flee underground, but a silver-white Sword Qi pierced it and destroyed its soul.
• A silver-robed man appeared above the Insect King's corpse and retrieved the Flying Sword engraved with the name Flying Rainbow.

After True Person Feihong killed the insect king, cultivators pushed the remaining swarm into the Rong Country, and Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde entered the quieter Yang Kingdom to search for something that could restrain the demonic insects. They found a mountain nest with an unusually large swarm, and as Zhou Mingde and their Spirit Pets fought it, the insects formed a giant creature protected by a powerful shield.

• True Person Feihong killed the insect king, and True Person Zi Yan praised him before the cultivators pursued the leaderless swarm.
• Over the next three days, human cultivators exterminated more than half the insects in the Yang Kingdom, while surviving swarms began ravaging the Rong Country.
• Zhou Mingde proposed that he and Zhou Chun explore the Yang Kingdom for something that could restrain the demonic insects, and they set out together.
• Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde found a mountain nest holding thousands of insects and searched the area, prompting the swarm to attack them.
• Zhou Mingde sent out the Fire God Jackal while Zhou Chun released his Spirit Pets, and the beasts slaughtered large numbers of insects.
• An insect king appeared and gathered the remaining swarm into a giant insect with a powerful shield, so Zhou Chun recalled his Spirit Pets and retreated while Zhou Mingde prepared to fight.

Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde discovered that an insect swarm had stayed in the mountain range because it had food and an Earth Origin Crystal Jade ore vein underground. Unable to mine the distant vein themselves, Zhou Chun proposed bringing in Lin Hongyu to exploit it in exchange for a share of the profits.

• Zhou Mingde and Zhou Chun joined forces with Shen Borong and Ruan Hongzhuang to defeat the giant insect and kill the third-rank insect king.
• The four cultivators discovered that underground tubers had kept the swarm fed, and Zhou Mingde and Zhou Chun left with the insect corpses.
• Zhou Chun realized that ordinary tubers could not sustain higher-rank insects, so he and Zhou Mingde returned to investigate the mountain range.
• The Golden Armor Rock Turtle sensed dense Earth Element spiritual power, leading Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde to uncover an Earth Origin Crystal Jade ore vein deep underground.
• Zhou Mingde considered selling the ore-vein information, but Zhou Chun suggested asking Lin Hongyu to mine it and giving the Zhou Family a share of the proceeds.

Zhou Mingde and Zhou Chun searched Yang Kingdom for ways to counter the insect plague, then encountered Shen Borong and Ruan Hongzhuang fighting an Earth Armored Dragon guarding a hidden cave abode. The dragon escaped, and the four cultivators agreed to explore the cave together and divide its treasures according to their contributions.

• Zhou Chun proposed inviting Lin Hongyu to mine the Earth Origin Crystal Jade vein, and Zhou Mingde agreed to discuss the plan after the insect plague was eliminated.
• Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde searched the insect-ravaged regions of Yang Kingdom but found nothing useful before hearing a roar near the plain where the plague had begun.
• Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde found Shen Borong and Ruan Hongzhuang battling an Earth Armored Dragon and discovered that it guarded a cultivator's cave abode.
• Zhou Mingde joined the fight, but the Earth Armored Dragon severed its tail to escape the artifact restraining it and burrowed underground.
• Zhou Mingde rejected Shen Borong's claim that the cave belonged to its discoverers, and the four cultivators agreed to explore it together and claim shares based on their contributions.

Zhou Mingde, Shen Borong, and Ruan Hongzhuang struggled to enter a hidden underground chamber guarded by an Earth Armored Dragon, then agreed to retry after Ruan recovered. Their plan left them at the bottom of a massive pit, attacking the chamber’s sealed ceiling, which might be a Golden Core cultivator’s tomb.

• Zhou Mingde, Shen Borong, and Ruan Hongzhuang attacked the cave abode’s formation, but the Earth Armored Dragon collapsed the tunnel and injured Ruan Hongzhuang.
• Zhou Mingde insisted they could not delay long, so Ruan Hongzhuang revealed she had a healing pill and promised to recover within five days; the three agreed to stay together and watch one another.
• After five days, Ruan Hongzhuang had mostly recovered, and the group returned to the valley to dig a deep pit above the cave abode.
• Zhou Chun wondered why the chamber had a sealed stone ceiling, and Zhou Mingde suggested it might be a tomb; Shen Borong agreed that a Golden Core cultivator’s tomb could hold greater rewards.
• Zhou Mingde began attacking the sealed stone wall at the bottom of the pit.

Zhou Mingde, Shen Borong, and Ruan Hongzhuang broke through the tomb’s defenses and reached its main entrance, where they fought the guardian beasts and opened a corridor. The Fire God Jackal was badly injured while scouting ahead, leaving Zhou Mingde to continue exploring the dangerous passage himself.

• Zhou Mingde, Shen Borong, and Ruan Hongzhuang broke through the pit’s stone wall and found the entrance to a cultivator’s tomb.
• The three fought the two stone beasts and broke through the main gate’s defensive barrier, despite the Earth Armored Dragon’s interference.
• Zhou Mingde offered an extra share of the spoils to whoever led the way into the corridor, but Shen Borong and Ruan Hongzhuang declined.
• Zhou Mingde sent the Fire God Jackal ahead, and a yellow-light cage trapped it as a golden Flying Sword damaged its Inner Core.
• Zhou Mingde, Shen Borong, and Ruan Hongzhuang broke the cage and rescued the injured Fire God Jackal, after which Zhou Mingde took up the scouting task himself.

Zhou Mingde, Shen Borong, and Ruan Hongzhuang faced successive insect traps in a Golden Core cultivator’s tomb and barely survived a swarm that left all three badly injured. They retreated to their base to heal before attempting to reach the main tomb chamber again.

• Zhou Mingde was attacked by red flying mosquitoes that drained spiritual power from his defenses, but Shen Borong and Ruan Hongzhuang helped defeat them with water and poison.
• Zhou Mingde continued scouting and survived attacks by Decaying Yin Moths and two other varieties of strange insects with help from the Fire God Jackal and his companions.
• Zhou Mingde, Shen Borong, and Ruan Hongzhuang attacked the stone door, triggering a swarm of more than ten thousand pale-golden insects that blocked their retreat.
• The three cultivators and the Fire God Jackal defeated the swarm, but Zhou Mingde, Shen Borong, and Ruan Hongzhuang suffered serious injuries.
• Zhou Mingde led the group back to their base to recover before continuing their exploration of the tomb.

Zhou Mingde, Shen Borong, and Ruan Hongzhuang broke into the tomb’s main chamber and found a Profound Yin Jade Coffin that held a Green-faced Zombie. As they attacked the zombie, the Earth Armored Dragon appeared and struck at them, leaving the group fighting threats from both sides.

• Zhou Mingde and the others returned to the tomb after recovering, broke through the stone door, and discovered a palace-like chamber with a Profound Yin Jade Coffin.
• The three cultivators discussed the risks, rejected Shen Borong’s suggestion to bring the juniors underground, and decided to open the coffin themselves.
• Zhou Mingde sent the Fire God Jackal to flip the coffin, and a Green-faced Zombie burst out wearing a Storage Bag and a Spirit Beast Pouch.
• The Green-faced Zombie shrugged off the Fire God Jackal’s powerful blow, so Zhou Mingde, Shen Borong, and Ruan Hongzhuang joined the fight.
• The Earth Armored Dragon appeared in the tomb chamber and attacked the three cultivators while they were battling the Green-faced Zombie.

Zhou Mingde, Shen Borong, and Ruan Hongzhuang fought the Earth Armored Dragon and Green-faced Zombie in the tomb chamber, until Shen Borong revealed a powerful Talisman Treasure and killed the dragon. They then tried to behead the weakened zombie, but an unexpected incident came from Zhou Mingde just as Shen Borong’s sword lodged in its neck.

• Zhou Mingde proposed that the three cultivators focus their attacks on the Earth Armored Dragon while he and the Fire God Jackal held off the Green-faced Zombie.
• After the dragon evaded their attacks with Earth Evasion, Shen Borong offered to use a trump card in exchange for first choice of the spoils, excluding magical treasures.
• Shen Borong used a Talisman Treasure to immobilize the Earth Armored Dragon and smash its head, killing it in two moves.
• Zhou Mingde asked Shen Borong to use the Talisman Treasure against the zombie too, but Shen Borong said its power was limited, and the three continued fighting together.
• After more than two hours, Zhou Mingde and Ruan Hongzhuang restrained the zombie while Shen Borong struck at its neck; his Flying Sword lodged there, and an accident came from Zhou Mingde.

Zhou Mingde betrayed Shen Borong during the fight with the Green-faced Zombie, then forced Ruan Hongzhuang to cooperate with him and used a powerful talisman and the Fire God Jackal to seize the zombie’s treasures. After they escaped the collapsing mausoleum with the weakened zombie in pursuit, Ruan Hongzhuang suddenly attacked Zhou Chun.

• Zhou Mingde ambushed Shen Borong and let the Green-faced Zombie break free, while Ruan Hongzhuang tried to flee.
• The Green-faced Zombie killed Shen Borong, and Zhou Mingde persuaded Ruan Hongzhuang to help him in exchange for a share of the spoils and her chance to deal with Shen Borong’s descendant.
• Zhou Mingde used the Sun Radiance Divine Fire Talisman and Mana Grafting to empower the Fire God Jackal, which suppressed the Green-faced Zombie and pulled the Storage Bag and Spirit Beast Pouch from its chest.
• As the tomb chamber began collapsing, Ruan Hongzhuang collected the Earth Armored Dragon’s corpse, and Zhou Mingde, Ruan Hongzhuang, and the Fire God Jackal escaped with the zombie pursuing them.
• After they reached the surface, Zhou Mingde prepared to fight the Green-faced Zombie, but Ruan Hongzhuang suddenly pounced toward Zhou Chun.

Zhou Mingde and Zhou Chun escaped the underground mausoleum after Shen Borong died, but Ruan Hongzhuang got away from Zhou Mingde’s pursuit. Back in the market town, Zhou Mingde recovered and began examining the treasures taken from the Golden Core cultivator’s tomb and Shen Borong’s Storage Bag.

• Ruan Hongzhuang tried to seize Zhou Chun as a hostage, but Zhou Chun’s Flowing Light Golden Rainbow and the Fire God Jackal stopped her.
• Shen Shiming blocked Ruan Hongzhuang’s escape through the formation, then learned that Shen Borong was dead; Zhou Mingde killed Shen Shiming as the Green-faced Zombie attacked.
• Zhou Chun opened a passage through the formation, and Zhou Mingde escaped with him after distracting the Green-faced Zombie with Shen Shiming’s corpse.
• Zhou Mingde pursued Ruan Hongzhuang, but she escaped; he later returned safely to the Great Cloud Country and deferred Zhou Chun’s questions until he had recovered.
• Zhou Mingde inspected the tomb owner’s treasures, finding two magic treasures, numerous texts and Dao-carrying artifacts, insect eggs, and other valuable items.
• Zhou Mingde opened Shen Borong’s Storage Bag to verify something.

After discovering that Shen Borong's Talisman Treasure had already been exhausted, Zhou Mingde admitted to himself that he had ambushed Shen based on suspicion and faced Zhou Chun's disapproval. While studying the tomb owner's records, Zhou Mingde linked Han Yuan's forbidden experiments to the Yang Kingdom's Insect Calamity and found a poison recipe that might eliminate the insects; he summoned Zhou Chun to discuss testing it.

• Zhou Mingde found only ash in Shen Borong's jade box and realized the Talisman Treasure had been exhausted before the ambush.
• Zhou Mingde told Zhou Chun that he had ambushed Shen Borong based on suspicion, and Zhou Chun said he could not agree with his actions.
• Zhou Mingde read Han Yuan's autobiography and learned that the former Thousand Spirits Sect Vice Sect Master had fled to the Yang Kingdom after being punished for forbidden insect research.
• Zhou Mingde suspected that the Insect Calamity's insects descended from the hundred eggs missing from Han Yuan's laboratory.
• Zhou Mingde found Han Yuan's prepared poison recipes for the mutated insects and summoned Zhou Chun to discuss whether they could work.

Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde tested Han Yuan’s insect-killing formulas and decided to reveal the underground mausoleum while concealing its forbidden research. Zhou Mingde brought the selected records to Shanyangzi and claimed he had found a poison that could eliminate the Insect Calamity on a large scale.

• Zhou Chun advised Zhou Mingde to test Han Yuan’s formulas and either improve or carefully present them without exposing their source.
• Zhou Mingde and Zhou Chun tested poisons against the Thousand Changes Cicada and Spirit Devouring Ant, finding that the formulas had limited effectiveness against the evolved Demonic Insects.
• Zhou Mingde rejected further research and a false family-origin story, deciding to reveal the underground mausoleum while hiding Han Yuan’s forbidden research and Thousand Spirits Sect secrets.
• Zhou Mingde and Zhou Chun spent three days reviewing the classics, then Zhou Mingde set out for the Rong Country while Zhou Chun copied the records and hid in the wilderness.
• Zhou Mingde met Shanyangzi at the Green Lotus Temple’s base and announced that he had found a poison formula capable of eliminating the Insect Calamity on a large scale.

Zhou Mingde presented Shanyangzi with a poison formula that proved highly effective against the Demonic Insects, and the Green Lotus Temple claimed the credit in exchange for promising rewards to the Zhou Family. Shanyangzi ordered Zhou Mingde to join insect-clearing missions, while Zhou Chun returned to the Wilderness Expanse to study the insect-control classics and try hatching the Demonic Insects.

• Zhou Mingde gave Shanyangzi the poison formula, experimental records, and insect-control classics, explaining how he had obtained them while concealing his ambush of Shen Borong.
• Shanyangzi and Zhou Mingde tested the poison on Demonic Insects, including third rank specimens, and confirmed it could seriously harm them when spread as a water mist.
• Shanyangzi reported the formula to a Nascent Soul True Person and claimed the credit for the Green Lotus Temple with Zhou Mingde's agreement, after which nearby countries began gathering the ingredients.
• Shanyangzi told Zhou Mingde that he must join insect-clearing missions and granted him three days to return to the Great Cloud Country and inform the juniors there.
• Zhou Mingde returned to the marketplace and told Zhou Jiapeng and the others he was going to the Rong Kingdom, while Zhou Chun secretly spotted him and later learned of his mission.
• Zhou Chun avoided meeting the others, entered the Wilderness Expanse, and opened a temporary cave dwelling to study the insect-control classics and attempt to hatch the Demonic Insects.

Zhou Chun studied Han Yuan’s Insect-Driving Arts and the Heaven and Earth Exotic Insect Ranking, learning about insect breeding, combat techniques, and rare species. After identifying the eggs Han Yuan had left behind, he selected three kinds to cultivate: the Mysterious Armor Golden Feather, the Flying Fire Scorpion, and the Blue Moon Butterfly.

• Zhou Chun studied Han Yuan’s insect-breeding notes and considered applying their methods to demonic beasts, recording his ideas for Zhou Daoquan.
• Zhou Chun reviewed the Thousand Spirits Sect’s insect-driving techniques and learned about their strengths, limitations, and the rare exotic insects described in the Heaven and Earth Exotic Insect Ranking.
• Zhou Chun examined Han Yuan’s insect eggs and identified valuable specimens, including Mysterious Armor Golden Feathers and Silver Silk Silkworms.
• Zhou Chun put away the eggs he did not need and kept the Mysterious Armor Golden Feather, Flying Fire Scorpion, and Blue Moon Butterfly eggs for cultivation.

Zhou Chun contracted several batches of Demonic Insect eggs and studied how to control them while Zhou Mingde helped Green Lotus Temple fight the Thousand Absolute Cicada Ants. Poison developed from the submitted formula brought the Thousand Absolute Cicada Plague under control, and Zhou Mingde left with Zhou Jiapeng and others for Jing Kingdom as Zhou Chun traveled to meet them.

• Zhou Chun contracted the Mysterious Armor Golden Feather, Flying Fire Scorpion, and Blue Moon Butterfly eggs, buried or placed them to hatch, and began studying the Insect-Driving Arts.
• Zhou Mingde joined Shanyangzi and Green Lotus Temple's cultivators in exterminating insects, while the swarms devastated much of Rong Country and killed thousands of cultivators.
• True Person Zi Yan announced that poison for killing the Demonic Insects had been developed, and teams used it to destroy the swarms and their nests.
• The cultivators named the insects Thousand Absolute Cicada Ants and credited True Person Fu Feng with inventing the poison formula, leaving Shanyangzi frustrated and Zhou Mingde relieved.
• Shanyangzi told Zhou Mingde he could return home, and Zhou Mingde set out for Jing Kingdom with Zhou Jiapeng and others as Zhou Chun traveled to meet them.

Zhou Chun reunited with Zhou Mingde and returned to the Zhou Family, where they debated how to protect the valuable treasures they had gained in Yang Kingdom. As Zhou Mingde sought help from Golden Core cultivators, Zhou Chun resumed clan duties and began establishing the Insect-Driving Arts as a new family inheritance.

• Zhou Chun showed Zhou Mingde how he had learned to control his three hatched Demonic Insects, and Zhou Mingde praised his talent.
• Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde returned to Jing Kingdom in a relay flight and found the Zhou Family safe.
• Zhou Mingde, Zhou Daoyi, and Zhou Chun discussed how to protect the two magic treasures and three Spirit Crystals, then considered hiring a Golden Core cultivator to oversee the family.
• Zhou Mingde left the mountain gate to negotiate with several Golden Core cultivators, while Zhou Chun resumed his duties as clan head.
• Zhou Chun gave Demonic Insect pill formulas to Zhou Zhengyuan and opened most of the Insect-Driving Arts inheritance to interested clansmen.
• Zhou Chun began considering an Insect Garden so the Zhou Family could cultivate Demonic Insects and develop the inheritance into a lasting family foundation.

To secure the Zhou Family’s safety, Zhou Mingde persuaded Zhou Chun to accept the Su Family Ancestor’s condition and formally become dao partners with Su Yuzhen. The Su Family Ancestor stationed himself at the Zhou Family for ten years, and Zhou Chun and Su Yuzhen’s grand Dual Cultivation Ceremony was held three months later.

• Zhou Mingde rejected the Li Family and You Family’s costly terms and asked Zhou Chun to marry Su Yuzhen in exchange for the Su Family Ancestor’s protection.
• After more than an hour of deliberation, Zhou Chun agreed to become dao partners with Su Yuzhen for the sake of the Zhou Family.
• Zhou Mingde brought Zhou Chun to the Su Family, where the Su Family Ancestor accepted the Zhou Family’s betrothal gifts and approved the marriage.
• The Su Family Ancestor accompanied Zhou Mingde and Zhou Chun to the Zhou Family and began his ten-year stay at its mountain gate.
• News of the marriage alliance stirred discussion across Lan Province and Jiangzhou, while Wang Zhixiong envied the Zhou Family and Zhang Shi'an angrily lamented its growing power.
• After more than three months of preparations, Zhou Chun and Su Yuzhen held their grand Dual Cultivation Ceremony at Nine Peaks Ridge.