Recaps

Chen Shuangbai received Chen Yizhao and gave him a talisman brush, then refused to meet his younger aunt, Chen Wanying, over her past actions. After spending several more days caring for his grandfather, Chen Shuangbai prepared to leave the mortal world.

• Chen Shuangbai questioned Chen Yizhao about the academy and encouraged him to pursue talismans, giving him a talisman brush.
• Chen Shuangbai discussed his aunts with Old Master Chen and agreed to leave his younger aunt's affairs in his grandfather's hands.
• Chen Wanying repeatedly tried to see Chen Shuangbai, but he sent her the message, “Had you known it would come to this, why did you do it in the first place?”
• Yin Kuangyu tried to curse Su Lan but could not speak, and he urged his mother to leave with him.
• After two more days, Old Master Chen urged Chen Shuangbai to depart, and they parted with pride and reluctance.

Chen Shuangbai left the White Water Chen Clan and traveled to Jinghua Prefecture at Shi Yubai’s request. At the Clear Source Annex, Wu Qingfeng briefed him on increasingly frequent disturbances in the city’s earth veins.

• Chen Shuangbai bid farewell to his grandfather and the White Water Chen Clan, then departed in a Cloud Horse carriage.
• Old Master Chen gave Chen Wanru and Chen Wanying Beauty-Preserving Pills as a token from Chen Shuangbai.
• Chen Shuangbai directed the carriage to Jinghua Prefecture and spent the journey reading a rogue cultivator’s cultivation journal.
• Chen Shuangbai arrived at the Clear Source Annex, where Wu Qingfeng and the outer disciples welcomed him.
• Wu Qingfeng reported that Jinghua Prefecture’s earth-vein activity had grown erratic, with increasingly frequent tremors that alarmed the imperial family and sect cultivators.

Chen Shuangbai examined disturbances in Jinghua Prefecture’s earth veins and prepared to inspect the Four-Direction Mountain-Suppressing Grand Array with the allied sects, while considering the possibility of sabotage. At the Golden Splendor Palace, Jin Wuyu and Chan Master Huiming discussed Chen Shuangbai’s arrival and his invitation to Cui Yu as they prepared for the earth-vein meeting.

• Chen Shuangbai studied Jinghua Prefecture’s earth-vein chart and concluded that the grand array needed to be checked and restarted.
• Wu Qingfeng warned Chen Shuangbai that the Spirit-Seeking Sect and Great Buddha Temple were growing close and backing rival princes, but Chen Shuangbai dismissed the political turmoil as minor.
• Chen Shuangbai learned that Cui Yu of the Empty Sword Sect had arrived and sent an invitation to discuss the matter.
• At the Golden Splendor Palace, Jin Wuyu welcomed Chan Master Huiming and hosted him amid luxurious surroundings.
• Chan Master Huiming told Jin Wuyu that Chen Shuangbai had arrived and invited Cui Yu to join the next day’s earth-vein discussion.

Chen Shuangbai, Cui Yu, and Jin Wuyu gathered at the River-Gazing Pavilion for the three sects’ meeting, where Jin Wuyu explained why he had arranged an extra seat for Great Buddha Temple’s Huiming. The meeting turned to repairing the grand formation and stabilizing the troubled earth veins, and Jin Wuyu asked whether the other sects accepted Huiming’s invitation.

• Jin Wuyu told Huiming that the Spirit-Seeking Sect would bring him into the River-Gazing Pavilion for the meeting.
• Chen Shuangbai arrived at the pavilion with Su Lan and Wu Qingfeng, and the other two sects arrived soon after.
• Cui Yu and Jin Wuyu exchanged greetings with Chen Shuangbai before the three took their seats, leaving one chair vacant.
• Cui Yu asked about the extra seat, and Jin Wuyu admitted that he had arranged it for Huiming of the Great Buddha Temple.
• Jin Wuyu explained that the grand formation needed a Gilded Stone Heart to repair damage caused by upheaval in the earth veins, and that Huiming had agreed to obtain one.
• Jin Wuyu asked Chen Shuangbai and Cui Yu whether they agreed to include Huiming in the repair discussions.

Chen Shuangbai challenged Jin Wuyu’s attempt to bring the Great Buddha Temple into the repair of the Four-Direction Mountain-Suppressing Grand Array and exposed the Spirit-Seeking Sect’s past opposition to protecting Jinghua. Jin Wuyu attacked Chen Shuangbai, but Chen told Cui Yu not to intervene.

• Huiming arrived with a gilded stone heart, and Jin Wuyu welcomed him as though the Great Buddha Temple had agreed to help repair the grand array.
• Chen Shuangbai stopped Huiming from taking a seat and questioned Jin Wuyu about the sects’ contributions and control of the array keys.
• Jin Wuyu accused Chen Shuangbai of disregarding Jinghua’s commoners, but Chen defended the Jade Spring Sect’s record and warned the Great Buddha Temple not to meddle in the array.
• Chen Shuangbai reminded Jin Wuyu that the Spirit-Seeking Sect had once dismissed mortal deaths and that Jin Wuyu’s ancestor had tried to extract Jinghua’s earth vein; Cui Yu confirmed the story.
• Jin Wuyu and Cui Yu released their spiritual pressure, and Jin Wuyu attacked Chen Shuangbai with golden strikes as Chen told Cui Yu to stay back.

Chen Shuangbai revealed the [Clear Waves Reflecting the Moon Banner] and overwhelmed Jin Wuyu in their fight. He seized Jin Wuyu by the neck and threatened him with a black light at his brow, leaving Jin Wuyu afraid to move.

• Chen Shuangbai used the [Clear Waves Reflecting the Moon Banner] to freeze Jin Wuyu's golden bell and suppress the cultivators' Law Power.
• Jin Wuyu wielded a dark-gold mace and attacked Chen Shuangbai, while Cui Yu prevented Chan Master Huiming from intervening.
• Jin Wuyu concealed his presence and tried to ambush Chen Shuangbai with the [Meridian-Sealing Law-Severing Needles], but Chen Shuangbai evaded the attack.
• Chen Shuangbai appeared beside Jin Wuyu, bypassed his defenses, and lifted him by the neck as Jin Wuyu's artifacts failed to land a hit.
• Chen Shuangbai warned Jin Wuyu that he would blow his head apart if he moved again, and Jin Wuyu froze in fear.

Chen Shuangbai subdued Jin Wuyu and proceeded with Cui Yu to open the Four-Direction Mountain-Suppressing Grand Array. The four sects’ keys activated the entrance, and Chen Shuangbai descended into the vortex after ordering Wu Qingfeng to guard it.

• Chen Shuangbai sealed Jin Wuyu’s cultivation and drove him and Chan Master Huiming away.
• Chen Shuangbai told Jin Wuyu’s group that the grand array would be repaired at noon the next day, then discussed the temporary seal and the Spirit-Seeking Sect with Cui Yu.
• Chen Shuangbai, Cui Yu, and Jin Wuyu gathered at Jinling Lake and placed the Black Tortoise, Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird Tokens into the water.
• The four tokens opened the grand array’s entrance, revealing a vortex filled with ancient power and four-colored light.
• Chen Shuangbai ordered Wu Qingfeng to guard the entrance and kill anyone who approached, then rode into the vortex.

Chen Shuangbai, Cui Yu, and Jin Wuyu repaired the great formation suppressing the earth vein beneath Jinghua Prefecture. Before they left, Jin Wuyu secretly investigated a Sha hollow and discovered that it had nurtured an unknown Sha beast.

• Chen Shuangbai, Cui Yu, and Jin Wuyu used spiritual materials and their formation keys to restore the four divine beast statues and quiet the trembling earth vein.
• Chen Shuangbai spotted a wisp of Sha Qi beneath the formation, and Cui Yu judged it harmless.
• Jin Wuyu secretly probed underground, found a Sha hollow, and hoped to claim it for his cultivation.
• Jin Wuyu sent his Divine Sense into the hollow and suffered an invisible attack that left him bleeding from his orifices.
• Jin Wuyu warned Chen Shuangbai and Cui Yu that the hollow had nurtured an unknown Sha beast, not ordinary Earth Sha.

Jin Wuyu confirmed that a Golden Core-level Sha Beast had once lived beneath Jinghua Prefecture, damaged the grand array, and then departed. Chen Shuangbai’s Martial Uncle Shi Yubai and Martial Aunt Ren Zisu arrived to investigate, but they needed a Law Treasure to inspect the Sha Lair beneath the array.

• Jin Wuyu identified a scale as belonging to a Golden Core-level Sha Beast and confirmed that the beast had already left after consuming Earth Qi and causing the grand array’s flaw.
• Cui Yu and Chen Shuangbai repaired the array, returned to the surface, and reported the threat to their sects.
• Chen Shuangbai stopped Wu Qingfeng from sending spirit pigeons and used a crane whistle to dispatch an Evil Hunting Hall disciple with the report.
• Shi Yubai and Ren Zisu arrived at the Clear Source Separate Residence, and Chen Shuangbai explained what had happened beneath Jinghua Prefecture.
• Shi Yubai proposed inspecting the Sha Lair and revealed that the sect had provided a Law Treasure for the task.

Shi Yubai used the Plain Proclamation Truth-Illuminating Mirror to reveal a Sha Beast’s scale beneath the earth vein, and Ren Zisu confirmed that it carried Dragon Qi. After Ren Zisu sealed the scale, Yue You of the Empty Sword Sect arrived.

• Shi Yubai showed Chen Shuangbai the Plain Proclamation Truth-Illuminating Mirror and used it to reveal a trace of something drawing from the earth vein.
• Shi Yubai drew a scale from underground, and Ren Zisu judged from its power that it belonged to a Golden Core Sha Beast.
• Ren Zisu detected Dragon Qi in the scale and sealed its Sha Qi with Shaman Incantations.
• Shi Yubai noticed Sword Essence approaching, and Wu Qingfeng brought Yue You of the Empty Sword Sect into the building.

After returning to the Jade Spring Sect, Chen Shuangbai learned that his master Yi Chongyue had entered a years-long pill-refining seclusion, leaving him to oversee Deer Deep Waters Peak. Chen Shuangbai then refined a boatload of Water-Aspect Crystal Sand, strengthening his Law Power and considering how much more he would need to advance.

• Yue You, Cui Yu, and Jin Wuyou examined the baleful beast's scale in Jinghua Prefecture and assessed the concealed Sha Qi.
• Chen Shuangbai left Jinghua Prefecture with a boy and a girl bearing Spirit Roots and delivered them to the sect's outer disciples.
• Chen Shuangbai learned that Yi Chongyue was refining important pills and had instructed him to oversee Deer Deep Waters Peak until he emerged.
• Chen Shuangbai returned to his cave abode and spent half a month refining a boatload of Water-Aspect Crystal Sand.
• Chen Shuangbai found that the crystal sand had greatly aided his cultivation and estimated that several dozen boatloads could bring him to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage in a few years.

Chen Shuangbai went to Three Yang Peaks to finish awakening the spirit of the flying sword Yao Jie had forged for him. After Chen Shuangbai nourished the sword with his Essence Blood, it awakened its innate spirituality and settled into his hand.

• Du Zifeng told Chen Shuangbai that his flying sword needed his Essence Blood to awaken its spirit and brought him to Three Yang Peaks.
• Chen Shuangbai entered the artifact chamber and thanked Yao Jie for forging the sword.
• Chen Shuangbai dripped his Essence Blood onto the sword blank and infused it with his Law Power.
• The sword revealed its frost-flower patterns, awakened its spirit, and flew around Chen Shuangbai before settling in his palm.

Chen Shuangbai received the newly reforged spirit sword Foot-Long Silk and spent more than a year cultivating and nurturing his treasures. After stabilizing his Foundation Establishment cultivation, he returned to Deer Deep Waters Peak, where Yi Chongyue had just completed refining precious pills.

• Yao Jie gave Chen Shuangbai a Law Artifact scabbard for his reforged spirit sword, and Chen named the sword Foot-Long Silk.
• Chen Shuangbai gave Five-Incense Pills to Yao Jie and Du Zifeng, then agreed to share his Foundation Establishment experience with Du Zifeng.
• Du Zifeng told Yao Jie he planned to enter seclusion and attempt Foundation Establishment, and Yao Jie offered to prepare a ritual array for him.
• Chen Shuangbai returned to Verdant Hills Stream and cultivated with crystal sand and water moon jade crystals while nurturing his Law Treasures and Spirit Artifacts.
• After more than a year, Chen Shuangbai had stabilized his cultivation and returned to Deer Deep Waters Peak, where Yi Chongyue had completed refining precious pills.

Chen Shuangbai discussed his progress in alchemy with Yi Chongyue and learned how a Spirit-Nurturing Pearl might improve the Green Wood Transforming Rain Pill. Their conversation turned to True Person Xu’s effort to establish a sect in Ning Country, which now depended on a contest against the three local sects.

• Chen Shuangbai visited Yi Chongyue, who assessed his cultivation and asked about his alchemy studies.
• Chen Shuangbai explained how he had improved the Mystic Light Illuminating Life Pill formula and described flaws that made the Green Wood Transforming Rain Pill lose effectiveness with repeated use.
• Yi Chongyue suggested that Spirit-Nurturing Pearls from Spirit-Nurturing Clams in the Spirit Gauze Sea could balance the Green Wood Transforming Rain Pill’s ingredients.
• Uncle Zhong summoned Yi Chongyue to the Abyss Suppression Hall, prompting Yi Chongyue to tell Chen Shuangbai that True Person Xu had secured permission to establish a sect on Great Arrival Island, subject to a contest against Ning Country’s three sects.
• Chen Shuangbai asked whether the contest would involve True Person Xu, his disciples, or both.

Chen Shuangbai agreed to help True Person Xu’s effort to found a sect and learned that the Jade Spring Sect would send him to Ning Country with True Person Mei. After the contest, the group would travel to the Jade Wave Immortal Market, where Chen Shuangbai could explore the sea.

• Yi Chongyue invited Chen Shuangbai to travel to the overseas immortal markets, then explained that True Person Xu had requested the Jade Spring Sect’s help with founding a sect.
• Chen Shuangbai agreed to take part and accompanied Yi Chongyue to the Abyss Suppression Hall to meet Luo Tang, True Person Xu’s dao companion.
• Luo Tang inspected Chen Shuangbai and accepted that he was capable of representing the Jade Spring Sect.
• Shi Yubai told Chen Shuangbai that True Person Mei would accompany the disciples, and that the sect would help True Person Xu without pursuing victory at any cost.
• Shi Yubai explained that after the matter in Ning Country, True Person Mei would take Chen Shuangbai to the Jade Wave Immortal Market.

Chen Shuangbai, Fu Qianlan, and Wei Zheng discussed the Three Sects of Ning Country and the contest that True Person Xu had arranged with their direct disciples. As their flying boat traveled toward Ning Country, Chen Shuangbai wondered what True Person Xu had offered to secure True Person Mei’s support and prepared to do his best.

• Chen Shuangbai and Fu Qianlan talked with Wei Zheng aboard the flying boat as they traveled with True Person Mei to Ning Country.
• Fu Qianlan and Wei Zheng explained the strengths and history of Spirit Taming Valley, Blazing Sun Mountain, and Azure Wave Cave, including the rumor of a surviving Nascent Soul demon beast.
• Fu Qianlan recounted how True Person Xu rose from being a fisherman to a Golden Core cultivator after finding a cultivation art in a Jade Slip.
• Chen Shuangbai considered True Person Xu’s struggles and wondered what precious offer had persuaded the sect to send True Person Mei.
• Wei Zheng told Chen Shuangbai that the Three Sects would send their best direct disciples to compete, and Chen Shuangbai said he would do his best.

Jade Spring Sect’s disciples arrived at Fallen Star Reef for the contest between the sects and met the cultivators gathering there. Chen Shuangbai saw that Zhao Shiyong had also reached Foundation Establishment as Profound Firmament Sect arrived.

• The flying boat landed at Fallen Star Reef, where cultivators were preparing the contest grounds and formation.
• True Person Mei met True Person Xu, who led her and the Jade Spring Sect disciples to the seats of honor.
• Chen Shuangbai greeted Zhang Xian, who was surprised that he had advanced from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment.
• Profound Firmament Sect arrived aboard its Dragon-Riding Pavilion, carried by a huge scaled flying beast.
• Chen Shuangbai recognized Zhao Shiyong among the arriving Foundation Establishment cultivators and saw that he had advanced as well.

The Jade Spring Sect and Profound Firmament Sect sent Golden Core cultivators to support True Person Xu, prompting Ning Country’s three sects to assess their intentions. Two days later, the six Golden Core True Persons gathered above the Fallen Star Reef arena as the magical duel was about to begin.

• True Person Yuchen and True Person Mei arrived with Golden Core cultivators from the Jade Spring Sect and Profound Firmament Sect, bringing their side’s Golden Core count to three.
• Zhao Shiyong greeted Chen Shuangbai, and Chen introduced Wei Zheng and Fu Qianlan to him.
• True Person Guizhen, True Person Wang, and True Person Tong arrived as the Golden Core cultivators of Ning Country’s three sects.
• True Person Guizhen probed the visitors’ intentions, and True Person Yuchen affirmed their support for True Person Xu’s plan to establish a sect.
• Chen Shuangbai, Fu Qianlan, and Wei Zheng kept the Qi Refining disciples from wandering while they waited two days for the duel.
• Six Golden Core True Persons descended over the Fallen Star Reef arena as the gathered cultivators watched.

Six Golden Core cultivators gathered at Xu Zhi’s sect-establishment ceremony before three matches between the sects’ prodigies began. As Chen Shuangbai prepared to fight, Fu Qianlan’s hidden senior remarked that she could not discern his secret and urged Fu Qianlan to investigate a changed ocean region for a rumored opportunity.

• True Person Xu asked the gathered Golden Core cultivators to begin, and True Person Guizhen called for the fighters to stop once the outcome was clear.
• Xu Zhi announced three matches between the prodigies, and the six Golden Core cultivators raised a barrier around the arena.
• Wei Zheng urged Chen Shuangbai not to lose, while Fu Qianlan joked that losing would cost them their claim to being prodigies.
• Fu Qianlan’s remnant-soul senior said she could not perceive Chen Shuangbai’s secret and claimed Fu Qianlan had a strong chance of reaching Nascent Soul.
• The senior told Fu Qianlan to investigate the surrounding ocean for a shifted fortuitous opportunity, and Fu Qianlan agreed as two Foundation Establishment cultivators entered the arena.

Zhang Xian and Wang Ning fought in the arena, trading water-based techniques until Zhang Xian unleashed the Azure Wave Ruler’s power to break through her defenses. Wang Ning was forced outside the arena, leaving Zhang Xian the victor.

• Zhang Xian opened the duel by using his jade ruler to summon water-aspect Yin Thunder against Wang Ning.
• Wang Ning blocked the lightning with her ribbon Spirit Artifact and counterattacked with water blades and Jasper Mystic Needles.
• Wang Ning pressured Zhang Xian with a rain of mystic needles and her ribbon’s powerful strikes, forcing him to evade.
• Zhang Xian enlarged the Azure Wave Ruler and released tidal force that disrupted Wang Ning’s techniques.
• Wang Ning used her precious orb to block Zhang Xian’s final attack, but the resulting blast drove her outside the arena and gave Zhang Xian the victory.

Chen Shuangbai faced Mo Li of the Spirit Taming Sect in the second bout and defeated him with a single sword strike. The Jade Spring Sect’s victory left Chen Shuangbai standing untouched as Mo Li lay defeated on the arena floor.

• Zhang Xian returned to True Person Xu after winning his bout, and True Person Xu praised him before sending him to recover.
• True Person Mei told Chen Shuangbai to do his best before the second bout began.
• Mo Li released his Jade Shadow Snake at Chen Shuangbai, who detected it and destroyed it with Sword Qi.
• Mo Li transformed into a Crimson Lightning Demon Ape and charged at Chen Shuangbai.
• Chen Shuangbai drew his sword and struck Mo Li down with a single frost-blue slash, then thanked him for yielding.

Chen Shuangbai’s sword victory secured True Person Xu’s claim to Great Arrival Island and cleared the way for him to establish a sect. The gathering moved to the island, where construction began and True Person Xu hosted a banquet to thank the Jade Spring Sect and Profound Firmament Sect.

• Chen Shuangbai defeated Mo Li with one sword, and True Person Mei warned True Person Guizhen not to interfere with the Jade Spring Sect’s True Disciple.
• Zhao Shiyong defeated Blazing Sun Mountain’s disciple, completing the three matches and confirming True Person Xu’s victory.
• True Person Xu thanked his allies and promised the three Ning Country sects that his new sect would help protect the rivers from sea beasts.
• True Person Xu and the others traveled to Great Arrival Island, where Chen Shuangbai saw the Zhang clan leading construction and transporting supplies.
• True Person Xu invited True Person Mei and True Person Yuchen to discuss important matters, then hosted a three-day banquet for the two sects’ disciples.

Chen Shuangbai and the other disciples attended a banquet where Zhang Xian gave them Jade Wave Immortal Market tokens and praised Chen’s swordsmanship. The next morning, Chen finished cultivating and joined Wei Zheng and Fu Qianlan in the main hall, where True Person Xu greeted them as the three Golden Core cultivators met.

• Zhang Xian served the Foundation Establishment guests profound ice cod sashimi and hosted a lively banquet.
• Zhang Xian gave Chen Shuangbai and the others Jade Wave tokens of credence, explaining that his master held shops and guest-elder positions in two immortal markets.
• Zhao Shiyong praised Chen Shuangbai’s swordsmanship, and a female cultivator asked whether he was close to comprehending Sword Essence.
• Chen Shuangbai cultivated through the night and reflected that the sea suited water arts.
• Chen Shuangbai, Wei Zheng, and Fu Qianlan went to the main hall, where True Person Xu welcomed them.

After the five disciples left the meeting on Great Arrival Island, Chen Shuangbai set out alone with Feiguang to explore the surrounding waters and head for Jade Wave Immortal Market. While resting on a secluded island with Feiguang and Gray Ball, he sensed a battle to the northeast.

• True Person Xu gave the five disciples Storage Bags, and True Person Yuchen and True Person Mei allowed their juniors to make their own plans while the elders discussed important matters.
• Zhao Shiyong and his junior sister left, Wei Zheng flew off on a beast, and Fu Qianlan departed using Sword Escape Technique.
• Chen Shuangbai summoned Feiguang, inspected the chart in his Storage Bag, and chose to travel to Jade Wave Immortal Market.
• Chen Shuangbai and Feiguang fought sea Demon Beasts on the way, then rested on a secluded island with Gray Ball.
• Chen Shuangbai sensed spiritual light and Law Power fluctuations from a fight far to the northeast.

Chen Shuangbai concealed a clam spirit from the maritime cultivators chasing it, then stopped them from burning down the island where he was resting. After learning they served the Bai Household and had pursued the clam over its pearls, he ordered them to leave.

• Chen Shuangbai spotted maritime cultivators pursuing a wounded blue clam spirit and hid the island with his Mirage Illusory Scene technique.
• The clam spirit hid in a stream while the pursuers searched the island and then set it ablaze to smoke it out.
• Chen Shuangbai summoned rain to extinguish the fire and appeared before the cultivators, who recognized him as an exalted Foundation Establishment cultivator and knelt.
• The bushy-bearded leader admitted that their young master had coveted the clam spirit's pearls and identified their group as members of the Bai Household of Five Yellow Island.
• Chen Shuangbai cut off the leader's boast about the young master and ordered the cultivators to leave.