Chapter Summaries

Jiang Yan learned that the Desire Corpse had entered seclusion after hearing of Jiang Chi’s death, and he and An Ling suspected the old Daoist might attack during the Yearly Examination. They formed an alliance for the examination, and Jiang Yan began refining Thunderclap pills to prepare for the threat.

• An Ling told Jiang Yan that the Desire Corpse had shown no reaction to Jiang Chi’s death, replaced his manor’s main gate, and announced he was entering seclusion.
• Jiang Yan and An Ling agreed to travel together during the Yearly Examination and signed an Immortal Dynasty Contract to formalize their alliance.
• After An Ling left, Jiang Yan considered the danger posed by the Desire Corpse and the possibility that an Inspector High Person would detect him if he infiltrated the examination.
• Jiang Yan took out the Thunderclap Pill Formula and its ingredients, set up his Pill Furnace, and told Yanbao to light the fire so he could begin refining the pills.

As the yearly examination approached, Jiang Yan spent two months refining pills and cultivating until he had fifteen strands of Law Power and a large stock of Thunderclap pills. After An Ling urged him to rest, he prepared to send letters and Spirit Stones to Jiang Huannian and his family.

• Jiang Yan refined Thunderclap pills, then bought Bear-Tiger Pill ingredients to fund further refining.
• Over two months, Jiang Yan cultivated and mastered both Pill Formulas, raising his Law Power to fifteen strands.
• An Ling told Jiang Yan that the yearly examination notice would arrive soon and advised him to rest; he put away his pills and slept.
• Jiang Yan visited the Divine Travel Pavilion and paid to send two letters and one hundred Spirit Stones to Jiang Huannian in Morninglight Town.

Jiang Yan finished preparing for the Yearly Examination and boarded a Cross-Realm Warship with the Prefecture Academy disciples. As the ship filled with students of different grades, the examination was about to begin.

• Jiang Yan sent Second Uncle a confidential letter about Jiang Chi and the clansmen, and sent Jiang Hanzhi a more general account of events at the Prefecture Academy.
• Jiang Yunyao burned Jiang Chi's body and had a servant bury him near East River Town, choosing not to whip his corpse.
• Jiang Yan heard Green Fox High Person announce the start of the Yearly Examination and saw a huge warship appear above the Preaching Plaza.
• The warship sensed Jiang Yan's Dao Register and transported him from the street onto its deck.
• An Ling explained that the vessel was the Director of Lectures' Cross-Realm Warship, and Jiang Yan observed the gathered ninth-grade, eighth-grade, and seventh-grade disciples.

Jiang Yan and the Prefecture Academy disciples traveled through the Inner-Realm Void to the East River Realm for the Yearly Examination. After reaching the battlefield, Green Fox High Person brought them to a vantage point to watch the fighting.

• Jiang Yan noticed Mingling Daoist and wondered whether the Desire Corpse might infiltrate the Yearly Examination, but only three Seventh Grade disciples were present.
• The Warship carried the disciples through the silver-gray Inner-Realm Void, where An Ling explained that stronger souls made people more sensitive to the void.
• A spiritual light checked the Warship's passengers before it crossed a barrier into the battlefield, where a distant explosion sounded.
• Greenfox Daoist ordered the Seventh Grade disciples to follow Black Crow Daoist, then shrank the Warship and the remaining disciples and tucked them into his sleeve.
• Green Fox High Person brought the Warship to an inconspicuous spot above the battlefield, and Jiang Yan and An Ling looked down from its edge.

Jiang Yan and An Ling watched a battle between Immortal Dynasty forces and the Scale Feather Clan as Green Fox High Person urged the Yearly Examination disciples to consider joining in. The chapter ended with a disciple proposing they gather intelligence behind enemy lines rather than fight directly.

• Jiang Yan and An Ling watched hundreds of thousands of Dao soldiers, attendants, and Scale Feather Clan cultivators clash below the warship.
• Jiang Yan saw Mingling Daoist use her Eighth-Rank Dao soldiers and gu insects to defeat several Scale Feather Clan Full-Realm cultivators.
• Jiang Yan asked An Ling why the Scale Feather Clan had so few Sixth-Rank cultivators despite having many Seventh-Rank equivalents, but she could not explain the imbalance.
• Green Fox High Person asked the examination disciples whether they would join the battle, and one disciple said they feared they were no match for the enemy.
• Another disciple suggested infiltrating behind enemy lines to gather intelligence and disrupt the Scale Feather Clan.

Green Fox High Person showed the disciples the battlefield and explained why the Prefecture Academy kept its novices away from such dangers. Jiang Yan and An Ling went to choose Yearly Examination missions and decided to take C-rank assignments, hoping to avoid the Desire Corpse.

• Green Fox High Person led the disciples away from the battlefield after they saw the heavy casualties among the lower-realm fighters and the strength of the Seventh Grade combatants.
• Green Fox brought the disciples to a huge Warship and sent them with a Daoist to the Affairs Hall to choose their Yearly Examination missions.
• Jiang Yan and An Ling saw that new disciples could choose D-rank missions while C-rank missions were open to all disciples below the Eighth Grade.
• Xiao Li and Li Yunshu recognized Jiang Yan but chose to focus on their own missions rather than approach him.
• Jiang Yan suggested that he and An Ling choose C-rank missions so the Desire Corpse might search the D-rank area instead, and An Ling agreed.

Jiang Yan and An Ling accepted a mission to destroy a Heavy Water Mine in the Purple Scale Tribe's territory and entered the region in disguise as members of the Scale Clan. They learned that the nearest settlement was Heavy Water City, which appeared closely connected to their target.

• Jiang Yan and An Ling chose a two-person mission to destroy the Heavy Water Mine managed by the Red-Purple Branch.
• The Prefecture Academy transported them to a secluded valley, where they put on Scale Clan Painted Skins and changed their disguises and speech.
• Jiang Yan and An Ling agreed to pose as brother and sister from the Red-Scarlet clan and set out to find the mine.
• They encountered Red-Purple Branch mortals chopping trees near the valley entrance, and Jiang Yan asked them for directions.
• An older Scale Clan member told Jiang Yan that the nearest settlement was Heavy Water City, southwest of their location.

Jiang Yan and An Ling traveled to Heavy Water City while he impersonated a red-scaled noble to exploit the Scale Clan’s rigid hierarchy. After entering the city, Jiang Yan began investigating the local society and sought a guide to learn more.

• Jiang Yan intimidated Old Genluo into guiding them toward Heavy Water City by cutting down several trees with his Sword Talisman.
• Jiang Yan flew with An Ling on his Fire-Walking Cloud, and the woodcutters below knelt in worship as they passed.
• Jiang Yan decided to keep posing as a noble so he could learn about the heavy water mines from the Scale Clan’s upper ranks.
• Jiang Yan dropped Old Genluo near the city and gave him silver scale coins before flying to Heavy Water City’s gates.
• A Red-Purple Tribe soldier knelt to Jiang Yan, agreed to guide him and An Ling, and led them toward the city’s finest restaurant, Redwater Cloud-Brushing.
• Jiang Yan noticed the city’s deep social divide and the apparent absence of Scale Clan cultivators stronger than Flesh Foundation Establishment.

Jiang Yan and An Ling entered Heavy Water City disguised as scarlet-scaled nobles and settled into Redwater Cloud-Brushing. Chi Ziliu learned of their arrival, guessed they might be important Red-Scale Tribe envoys, and went to greet them in person.

• Jiang Yan rejected the carrying chairs and used the Fire-Walking Cloud to take himself, An Ling, and the guard to Redwater Cloud-Brushing.
• The manager gave Jiang Yan and An Ling a lavish private courtyard, and the two discussed using their apparent noble status to meet local nobles.
• The guard reported the pair’s scarlet scales and behavior to Chi Ziliu at the city lord’s residence.
• Chi Ziliu suspected the visitors might bring the Red-Purple Branch under Red-Scale Tribe command and ordered a ceremonial procession to greet them.
• Jiang Yan and An Ling heard the procession approach, and Jiang Yan opened the gate as Chi Ziliu arrived.

Jiang Yan and An Ling met Chi Ziliu, who invited them to the city lord’s residence and revealed the Heavy Water Mine. After Chi Ziliu left, the siblings suspected that an unseen force was making their mission go unusually smoothly, possibly the Desire Corpse.

• Chi Ziliu visited Jiang Yan and An Ling, recognized their pure bloodlines, and invited them to stay at the city lord’s residence.
• Jiang Yan declined the invitation and asked Chi Ziliu about dangerous places nearby to aid his cultivation.
• Chi Ziliu unexpectedly revealed that the dangerous Heavy Water Mine lay inside the city lord’s residence and invited them to use it.
• Jiang Yan declined again, and Chi Ziliu left gifts before departing to report to his father.
• Jiang Yan and An Ling discussed Chi Ziliu’s strange behavior and wondered whether the Scale Feather Clan or someone from the Immortal Dynasty was behind their unusually smooth mission.
• An Ling asked whether the Desire Corpse might be responsible.

Jiang Yan and An Ling suspected someone was secretly manipulating the Prefecture Academy's Yearly Examination after learning that Skin Player and Gu-Eating's assignment was also going unusually smoothly. Jiang Yan used the Straw Figure left by Jiang Chi's possession to lure Desire Corpse into the situation, while Xiao Li and Li Yunshu faced danger in another Scale Clan city.

• Jiang Yan and An Ling considered whether Desire Corpse or another enemy was behind the strange events, but neither could identify a likely culprit.
• Jiang Yan set up a Ritual Altar and contacted Skin Player through his Dao Register, learning that Skin Player and Gu-Eating's assassination assignment was proceeding smoothly too.
• Jiang Yan and An Ling realized that the similar success across distant territories made it more likely that someone was manipulating the examination.
• Jiang Yan retrieved the Straw Figure connected to Jiang Chi's death and decided to use it to draw Desire Corpse into the unfolding situation.
• Xiao Li and Li Yunshu were trapped in another Scale Clan city, unable to advance or retreat.

Xiao Li and Li Yunshu encountered Desire Corpse while investigating west scale wood in Westwood City, and Xiao Li used a life-saving ring to escape with her. They hid near the city gate, where Xiao Li recovered from a Divine Sense attack and a lost arm, while worrying that Jiang Yan might meet Desire Corpse.

• Xiao Li and Li Yunshu investigated the west scale wood while disguised as Scale Clan commoners.
• Desire Corpse appeared and demanded to know where Jiang Yan was or how he could contact him.
• Xiao Li pretended to greet Desire Corpse, then broke his Storage Ring and sent a golden saber sweeping through the woods.
• Desire Corpse transformed into a Refined Corpse and tried to bind the saber, but Xiao Li's ring carried Xiao Li and Li Yunshu away.
• Xiao Li and Li Yunshu hid near Westwood City's gate, where Xiao Li endured his missing arm and the pain of Desire Corpse's attack on his mind.

Desire Corpse tracked the person who killed Jiang Chi toward Jiang Yan while Jiang Yan and An Ling accepted Chi Ziliu’s invitation to the city lord’s residence. There, Jiang Yan suspected the Red-Purple Branch might be considering breaking away from the Purple-Scale Tribe, and he and An Ling settled in to await the chief.

• Xiao Li and Li Yunshu hid underground near Westwood City after fleeing Desire Corpse.
• Desire Corpse killed several Scale Clan timber cutters, sensed the restriction linked to Jiang Chi’s killer, and flew southeast in pursuit.
• Chi Ziliu invited Jiang Yan and An Ling to the city lord’s residence, and Jiang Yan concealed the Straw Figure before they departed.
• On the carriage ride, Jiang Yan learned that three Purple-Scale Tribe dignitaries were inspecting the Heavy Water Mine.
• Chi Ziyang received Jiang Yan and An Ling in place of his busy father and said the chief would visit them later.
• Jiang Yan suspected the Red-Purple Branch might be willing to break away from the Purple-Scale Tribe, and he and An Ling took quarters in the residence.

Jiang Yan and An Ling met the chief of the Red-Purple Branch and agreed to enter its Heavy Water Mine the next day. Chi Ziyang quietly plotted against his younger brother, while Jiang Yan prepared for trouble and planned an escape route.

• Chief Chi Zi and Chi Ziyang argued that the Purple-Scale Tribe’s demands would force them to increase mining despite the deaths of their people.
• Chief Chi Zi learned that Jiang Yan and An Ling had arrived, then went with Chi Ziyang to meet them.
• Chi Ziyang resented Chi Ziliu and decided he could send him and his supporters into the Heavy Water Mine.
• Jiang Yan told Chief Chi Zi that he and An Ling wanted to temper themselves in the mine, and Chief Chi Zi offered to guide them there the next day.
• An Ling warned Jiang Yan that Chi Ziyang seemed suspicious, and Jiang Yan described how they would use their trump cards and escape through the Water Vein if necessary.

Jiang Yan and An Ling were exposed as non-Scale Clan members in the Heavy Water Mine and fought the Purple-Scale Tribe before fleeing deeper into the cavern. The explosion drew the Desire Corpse into Heavy Water City, where he rushed toward them.

• The Red-Purple patriarch led Jiang Yan, An Ling, and his clansmen down to the Heavy Water Mine, where Chi Ziyang arrived with three Purple-Scale Tribe members.
• The Purple-Scale leader revealed a scale token, realized Jiang Yan and An Ling were not Scale Clan members, and attacked them.
• Jiang Yan's Sword Talismans killed the Red-Purple patriarch, Chi Ziliu, and the other Red-Purple clansmen while An Ling held off two Purple-Scale fighters.
• Jiang Yan and An Ling blasted the Purple-Scale fighters with Divine Thunder and entered the cavern, destroying the arrangement that had muffled the sound.
• The Desire Corpse heard the explosion, transformed into his corpse-bodied rakshasa form, and charged into Heavy Water City toward its source.

Desire Corpse reached Heavy Water City and tore through the mine while searching for Jiang Yan, then fought a Full-Realm Scale Clan member. Jiang Yan and An Ling escaped the collapsing mine, but the foe targeted them as they fled.

• Desire Corpse entered Heavy Water City, killed a Purple-Scale warrior, and learned from the surviving leader that Jiang Yan and An Ling had gone into the mine.
• Jiang Yan and An Ling fled through the mine tunnels, sealing passages behind them with Thunderclap Pills as they reached the heavy-water vein.
• Jiang Yan hid the Straw Figure inside Jinbao, cutting off Desire Corpse's ability to track him and prompting Desire Corpse to slash through the mine in a frenzy.
• A Full-Realm Scale Clan member attacked Desire Corpse with an iceberg, and the two began fighting above the mine.
• Jiang Yan and An Ling escaped through an opening in the earth, but the Scale Clan fighter sent purple Qi after them, and Jiang Yan activated Senior Brother Long Yan's Jade Pendant.

Jiang Yan and An Ling escaped the Desire Corpse by fleeing in separate directions while the Desire Corpse battled the Full-Realm Purple Scale Clan member. The Desire Corpse annihilated Heavy Water City and was badly maimed when his opponent self-detonated.

• An Ling deflected the Desire Corpse's second attack with her hairpin, and the blast sent her and Jiang Yan flying apart.
• An Ling told Jiang Yan to flee separately, then escaped on her Spirit Butterfly while Jiang Yan rode Yanbao away.
• The Full-Realm Purple Scale Clan member delayed the Desire Corpse as Jiang Yan vanished from his perception, and the enraged Desire Corpse unleashed his Corpse Qi across Heavy Water City.
• The Desire Corpse devoured the Scale Clan members in Heavy Water City and ripped the Full-Realm Purple Scale Clan member in half.
• The wounded Scale Clan member self-detonated, destroying much of Heavy Water City and leaving the Desire Corpse severely damaged.

Jiang Yan followed Green Fox High Person’s order to lure the Desire Corpse into another fight, while the Scale and Feather Clan ancestors began preparations for a plan involving spiritual materials and Heavy Water. Jiang Yan laid a trap in a mountain cave, and the Desire Corpse arrived above the peak.

• The Desire Corpse recovered from his wounds, left the devastated battlefield, and two Scale Clan members arrived too late to intervene.
• Green Fox showed Jiang Yan fleeing with Yanbao and ordered him to provoke the Desire Corpse again, promising to keep him safe.
• The Scale and Feather Clan ancestors agreed to begin their preparations, and their Full-Realm members assembled spiritual materials into a tree-like formation around the great hall.
• Jiang Yan flew to a solitary mountain, hid Thunderclap Pills and his last Divine Thunder in a cave, and placed the Straw Figure among them.
• Jiang Yan released the Lustful Desire Qi Jiang Yunyao had given him and waited at the cave entrance as the Desire Corpse appeared above the peak.

Jiang Yan tried to stall Desire Corpse in a cave, but the Seventh Grade Daoist saw through his deception and attacked. Jiang Yan detonated a cache of Thunderfire Pills, collapsing the mountain, while the Scale Feather Clan’s ancestors hurried their ritual.

• Desire Corpse found Jiang Yan in a cave and stopped when Jiang Yan warned him about his spiritual barrier and Thunderclap pills.
• Desire Corpse revealed that he wanted to use the Desire-Emotion Heart-Unity Technique to take over Jiang Yan’s body.
• Desire Corpse attacked after his attempts to breach Jiang Yan’s barrier failed, and Jiang Yan detonated all the Thunderfire Pills he had prepared.
• The blast hurled both men through the cave and split the upper half of the mountain away, though Jiang Yan remained mostly unharmed.
• At the Scale Feather Clan’s great hall, the ancestors sensed the mountain’s collapse and Scale Ancestor seized the Full-Realm cultivators to accelerate their ritual.

The Scale and Feather Clan ancestors used their blood and spiritual materials to contact the Tree God, who forced his way into the East River Realm from beyond the realm. As the Tree God’s influence spread, Jiang Yan attacked the immobilized Desire Corpse, while the Tree God discovered the Immortal Dynasty and its hidden observers.

• The Scale Clan ancestor crushed the resisting clanspeople, and the Scale and Feather Clan ancestors sacrificed their essence blood to nourish the branch.
• The branch sent out a signal, drawing the Tree God’s attention and prompting it to strike the East River Realm’s membrane.
• Green Fox and his companion celebrated as the Tree God tore open a fissure and pushed branches into the realm.
• The Tree God’s presence stirred an urge in native immortal citizens, but Jiang Yan resisted it and attacked the Desire Corpse while the Desire Corpse struggled to stay still.
• The Immortal Dynasty raised barriers around its five towns as the Tree God pushed more of its body through the fissure and spoke with the Scale and Feather Clan ancestors.
• The Tree God spread a vast sea of trees across the East River Realm and sensed Green Fox and his companion hiding in the inner-realm void.