Recaps

Song Yan pursued sword cultivation, confronted the Heart Demon’s schemes, and helped expose a blood-pill plot before traveling with Lin Qing to Wu Daoxuan’s former residence. The painting refinement began with cultivators sealed inside painted realms, and Song Yan chose a mysterious figure painting while the Heaven’s Deputy Office investigated a captured Heaven-Stealing Sect disciple.

• Song Yan defeated the Heart Demon and Ke Huai, reunited Sheng Nian with Sheng Yun, and learned that A Yuan was Lu Yuan of South Mountain Monastery.
• Song Yan reported the Spirit-Sacrificing Blood Pill plot, discovered that the withered twig produced potent Nectar in a jade bottle, and used diluted spirit liquid to improve his cultivation.
• Song Yan agreed to accompany Lin Qing to the Daoist Heir’s Former Residence, traveled to Junping Prefecture, and met Xiao Yu after she lost her Heaven and Earth Bag.
• Song Yan learned about Wu Daoxuan’s painting and a suspected Heaven-Stealing Sect theft, then exchanged a Battle Art Jade Fang Zhang with Boqi for information about ancient swords and the sect.
• Wu Xingzhi opened the entrance to the former residence, where Wu Daoxuan’s Dao Child Ink Spirit sealed the cultivators’ powers and directed Ink Jade holders to complete one of seven paintings.
• Song Yan chose a figure painting that he suspected depicted Wu Daoxuan’s flying-sword friend and entered its realm.
• Cui Mi questioned captured Heaven-Stealing Sect disciple Wu Mengliu, then ordered her to steal something from him so the guards could study her methods.

Song Yan completed his sword inheritance, advanced through the Nangong Lineage’s Sword Debate, and drew the Spirit Transformation Sword Qi into his Sword Mansion. He returned to the Dongyuan Sect as the cultivation world shifted and began preparing for the Golden Core realm.

• Wu Mengliu escaped Heaven's Deputy Office with the Spirit-Binding Jade while Song Yan learned of Jin Returner and gathered real Bamboo Rice inside Wu Daoxuan’s painting.
• Dao Child Ink Spirit awarded Zhong Ali the Painting Refinement and gave Song Yan Jin Returner, then Song Yan discovered that Xiao He’s portrait had been stolen.
• Song Yan refined Jin Returner and witnessed Zhong Yan’s memories, gaining insight that helped him merge his Sword Formations and advance his cultivation.
• Song Yan said goodbye to Xiao He as she left with Bai Qi to seek Between Mountains and Seas, then continued cultivating and encouraged Xiao Ju to develop her Sword Intent.
• At the Nangong Lineage’s River and Sky Night Banquet, Song Yan won the Sword Debate by defeating Shi Yunhao, whose Demonic Qi briefly emerged during their duel.
• Song Yan approached the Spirit Transformation Sword Qi beneath the Lingyang River, and the Sword Qi merged with his Sword Dao Lotus as the platform and restriction collapsed.
• Zhang Cheng recognized Song Yan as heir to a Sword Cultivator’s legacy and asked him to protect the Nangong Lineage if it faced destruction, and Song Yan agreed if he could.
• Song Yan returned to the Dongyuan Sect as reports said Master Xuantong had died, while Chen Linyuan marked the Rogue Cultivator of Xin Mountain with Sword Qi and forced him to flee.
• Song Yan borrowed core-formation texts from Xu Wenxuan and returned to his cave abode to prepare for the Golden Core realm.

Song Yan helped Sheng Nian kill Xin Mountain, then returned to the Dongyuan Sect as the Qin Lineage attacked the Nangong Aristocratic Clan’s wedding. After Song Yan and his allies defeated Qin Yang, nine Nascent Soul cultivators from the Demon Ruins surrounded the Dongyuan Sect, whose formation faced an overwhelming assault.

• Song Yan joined Sheng Nian and A Yuan in killing Xin Mountain, then helped free the souls trapped in Xin Mountain’s paper people.
• Song Yan restored Seeking Benevolence with Yan Bo’s help, while Zhang Xingming secretly planned to kill him under orders from the Yellow Springs Way.
• Qin Ying and Qin Yang arranged an attack on the Nangong Aristocratic Clan during Lu Ziye and Nangong Ling’s wedding, and Song Yan warned Zhang Cheng.
• The Qin Lineage broke through the Nangong clan’s formation, and Song Yan killed Shen Yu before Qin Yang gravely wounded him.
• Song Yan rose in a demonic aspect and, with Qin Xijun, killed Qin Feiyu and other attackers before joining Zhang Cheng in defeating Qin Yang.
• Qin Xijun stayed to help the Nangong clan as Zhang Cheng prepared to empower Nangong Xuanlang, while Song Yan and Li Yi returned to the Dongyuan Sect.
• Chen Linyuan discovered Qin Ying’s poison plot and swallowed the poison himself, while Chen Tianze and eight Nascent Soul cultivators advanced on the Dongyuan Sect.
• The Demon Ruins cultivators surrounded the Dongyuan Sect and attacked its protective formation as Zhang Guangyuan chose to stay and defend it.

Song Yan helped turn the Demon Ruins invasion into victory as Chen Linyuan reclaimed his Nascent Soul, killed the nine attackers, and passed away after entrusting the sect to his disciples. After learning Chen Linyuan’s past through Sole Laughter, Song Yan left Dongyuan Sect to hone his Sword Dao at Luohou Abyss and encountered Gan Shen on the way.

• The Demon Ruins forces invaded Dongyuan Sect, and Song Yan joined the fight as Li Yi, Li Qingfeng, and other disciples battled the attackers.
• Song Yan drew Zhang Xingming into the World Within the Painting, formed a Sword Domain with his fifteen Flying Swords, and killed him with Seeking Benevolence.
• Chen Linyuan regained his Nascent Soul and killed Yu Yiming, Chen Tianze, and the other seven Nascent Soul cultivators with one sword strike.
• Chen Linyuan entrusted the Sect Master's Command Token to Luo Xiaming, gave Song Yan an ancient flying sword named Sole Laughter, and dissolved into spiritual potential and fortune throughout Dongyuan Sect.
• Song Yan witnessed Chen Linyuan’s memories of his rise to prominence, Jiang Qingrou’s death, and his fall from the Nascent Soul Realm, then realized he needed to unite a second Slaughter Sword Intent with his own.
• After honoring the fallen and settling matters with his fellow disciples, Song Yan left for the Central Region to hone his Sword Dao at Luohou Abyss.
• Song Yan reached Wushang Prefecture City, prepared for his journey, and used his Void-Aspect Dharma Body to drive away Xiaotang Fort cultivators threatening Fang Cunsheng.
• Song Yan forced a concealed follower to reveal himself, and Gan Shen said he came from Western Xia Hanhai and wanted to travel to Shanzhou.