Chapter Summaries

Chen Shuangbai examined the spoils taken from the bandit cultivators and gained a superior-grade Flame Shadow Space-Escape Flag that could shift its bearer a short distance. He then flew to the Zhao Household, where Bi Sheng challenged the servants for welcoming him through a side gate.

• Chen Shuangbai found over three thousand Lower-Grade Spirit Stones, pills, and a crystal in the sinister old man's Storage Bag.
• Chen Shuangbai identified the pills, set aside the Berserk Blood Pills, and kept the Cold Spring Pills and True Kun Pills.
• Chen Shuangbai refined the Flame Shadow Space-Escape Flag and learned that it enabled short-range shifts and enhanced fire-aspect techniques.
• Chen Shuangbai instructed Zhuang Wen to watch over the Spring-Venerating Daoist Academy, then flew with Bi Sheng toward the county town.
• Chen Shuangbai arrived at the Zhao Household, and Bi Sheng rebuked its servants for receiving him at the side gate.

Chen Shuangbai forced the Zhao Household to surrender the Golden Seal of Guardianship by threatening them with a Foundation Establishment sword talisman. The Zhao Household offered land, trade support, and spirit stones to make amends, and Zhao Yongnian handed over the seal.

• Chen Shuangbai entered the Zhao Household after breaking open its main gates and accused Zhao Yongkun of betraying the kingdom.
• Chen Shuangbai threatened to exterminate the Zhao Household unless it handed over the Golden Seal of Guardianship, then used a sword talisman to pressure its members.
• Chen Shuangbai sent Bi Sheng and eight martial artists to search the household while Zhao Yongnian arrived with the mother and son under guard.
• Zhao Yongnian offered herb gardens, farming estates, trade support, and spirit stones as an apology to Chen Shuangbai.
• Zhao Yongnian took the golden seal from the young man and respectfully presented it to Chen Shuangbai.

Chen Shuangbai secured the Zhao Household’s submission, strengthened his authority as Wind Howling Ford’s guardian, and returned to the Spring-Venerating Daoist Academy to cultivate. The county’s affairs settled for the moment as he began using pills and spiritual resources to advance his cultivation.

• Zhao Yongnian appeased Chen Shuangbai with compensation and accepted the beatings of his brothers, then told his concubine he planned to let the other households clash before reclaiming the Zhao Household’s losses.
• Chen Shuangbai told Bi Sheng that Zhao Yongnian had feared the sect’s anger, and the other three households sent gifts after hearing how the Zhao Household had been treated.
• Chen Shuangbai accepted the gifts, kept the cultivation resources, and began refining the Golden Seal of Guardianship.
• Chen Shuangbai left Bi Sheng to decide what to do with Tian Guanyu’s widow and surviving son, while Chang Yuan resumed governing Wind Howling Ford under the four households’ submission.
• Chen Shuangbai returned to the Listening to the Waves Pavilion and began cultivating with a Cold Spring Pill, Spirit Stones, and water jade crystals.

Chen Shuangbai broke through to the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining and used the Great Yin Dao Fruit to transform a discovered yin thunder method into one suited to him. He planned to quietly obtain the materials needed to cultivate it while keeping the method secret.

• After more than five months of peaceful cultivation, Chen Shuangbai broke through to the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining and strengthened his spiritual sense.
• Chen Shuangbai finished refining the ice crystal taken from the sinister old man's Storage Bag and uncovered a silver metal page visible through spiritual sense.
• Chen Shuangbai discovered that the page recorded the Ice Baleful Intent Yin Thunder method, ranked twenty-seventh among the thirty-six yin thunder methods.
• Using the Great Yin Dao Fruit, Chen Shuangbai evolved the method into the Midnight Month Cold Light Yin Thunder Method, which suited him and avoided the original method's backlash.
• Chen Shuangbai decided to have Zhuang Wen quietly arrange for the materials needed to refine the new thunder seed, keeping the method secret as a trump card.

Chen Shuangbai returned to the Spring-Venerating Daoist Academy and assessed Meng Fu and Fei Liyan’s cultivation before asking Zhuang Wen about Wind Howling County’s factions. After learning of the Azure Flood Dragon Society’s exploitative river-crossing levy and its dispute with the Rosy Clouds Abode Alliance, he decided to act against the society and assigned Zhuang Wen two tasks.

• Chen Shuangbai arrived at the academy, where Zhuang Wen welcomed him and congratulated him on his cultivation progress.
• Chen Shuangbai questioned Meng Fu and Fei Liyan about their Daoist cultivation, answered their questions, and dismissed them.
• Zhuang Wen reported that the county factions had behaved themselves after Chen Shuangbai’s warning, while the Azure Flood Dragon Society continued collecting its river-crossing levy from boatmen.
• Zhuang Wen explained that the Azure Flood Dragon Society had fallen out with the Rosy Clouds Abode Alliance after trying to poach its Silver Light Fish trainer.
• Chen Shuangbai heard that the Compassionate Light Temple had avoided his appointment ceremony and that Zhuang Wen’s investigation had uncovered no clear leverage against it.
• Chen Shuangbai decided to deal with the Azure Flood Dragon Society first and told Zhuang Wen to carry out two tasks.

Chen Shuangbai arranged purchases and invited the Azure Flood Dragon Society and Rosy Clouds Abode Alliance to a banquet while continuing to cultivate and refine pills. The Fan Household collected his latest batch, and the Azure Flood Dragon Society’s leaders decided they had to attend his invitation.

• Chen Shuangbai instructed Zhuang Wen to secretly buy materials for Midnight Month Cold Light Yin Thunder and to order Silverlight Fish for a banquet for the Azure Flood Dragon Society and Rosy Clouds Abode Alliance.
• Fan Qi arrived on behalf of Fan Yunsong, collected Chen Shuangbai’s pills, and learned that Chen had refined nearly two hundred bottles in five months without advancing beyond beginner Pill-Refining Apprentice.
• Chen Shuangbai realized his pill-refining output exceeded beginner standards and considered visiting the Pill Alliance.
• Bai Xiuyuan wondered whether Chen Shuangbai’s invitation was a trap, but Bai Zhixing said the Azure Flood Dragon Society had to attend.

Bai Zhixing and Bai Xiuyuan prepared for Chen Shuangbai to challenge the Azure Flood Dragon Society’s Dragon King Levy and plotted to pressure Yu Laoliu into joining them. At Chen’s banquet with Lady Yun, Chen assessed both guests as he prepared to address their competing interests.

• Bai Zhixing told Bai Xiuyuan that Chen Shuangbai might target their Dragon King Levy, then showed him a document left by a previous guardian that could restrain Chen.
• Bai Zhixing ordered his men to lure Yu Laoliu’s only son into a gambling den to pressure Yu into joining the Azure Flood Dragon Society.
• Three days later, Bai Zhixing arrived at the Spring-Venerating Daoist Academy and met Lady Yun, where they exchanged barbed remarks before Zhuang Wen led them inside.
• Chen Shuangbai welcomed Lady Yun and Bai Zhixing at the Listening to the Waves Pavilion and served them a meal featuring Silver Light Fish soup.
• Chen Shuangbai secretly assessed Lady Yun and Bai Zhixing, sensing that Bai concealed his cultivation and seemed dangerous.

Chen Shuangbai hosted Lady Yun and Bai Zhixing at a banquet to probe the conflict between their factions over Silver Light Fish and the waterway. After Bai Zhixing apologized and promised to end the blockade, Chen Shuangbai asked Lady Yun about Trainer Yu’s son, Yu Junjie, startling Bai Zhixing.

• Chen Shuangbai served Lady Yun and Bai Zhixing fish soup, then raised the strained relations between their factions.
• Lady Yun accused the Azure Flood Dragon Society of demanding most of the Silver Light Fish profits and blockading the waterway.
• Bai Zhixing called the dispute a misunderstanding, apologized to Lady Yun, and promised the waterway would not be blockaded again.
• Chen Shuangbai asked Lady Yun whether Trainer Yu had an only son named Yu Junjie, causing Bai Zhixing to react with alarm.

Chen Shuangbai turned Lady Yun against Bai Zhixing by claiming the Azure Flood Dragon Society’s Roaming Dragon Society had targeted Yu Laoliu’s son, provoking a fight between the two leaders. After Chen Shuangbai effortlessly stopped their attacks, Lady Yun left vowing revenge, while Bai Zhixing accused Chen of pretending his attempt to sow discord had been crude.

• Chen Shuangbai told Lady Yun that his martial nephew Bi had rescued Yu Laoliu’s son from a gambling den called the Roaming Dragon Society.
• Lady Yun recognized the Roaming Dragon Society as backed by the Azure Flood Dragon Society and accused Bai Zhixing of targeting her alliance’s trainer.
• Bai Zhixing insulted Lady Yun and called Chen Shuangbai’s story a simple attempt to sow discord, while Lady Yun prepared to attack him.
• Lady Yun and Bai Zhixing launched attacks at each other, but Chen Shuangbai used two flying swords to stop both strikes.
• Chen Shuangbai ordered Lady Yun to leave and regulate her Law Power, and she departed with Yu Junjie while promising that her alliance would avenge its grudges.
• Bai Zhixing rejected Chen Shuangbai’s offer of more fish soup and accused him of pretending after Lady Yun had left.

Chen Shuangbai and Bai Zhixing openly clashed over the agreement governing the Azure Flood Dragon Society and Wind Howling Ford, each revealing a Foundation Establishment token before Bai Zhixing escaped. Chen Shuangbai planned to steadily weaken the Society and received the spiritual materials for refining Midnight Month Cold Light Yin Thunder, though only two pieces of Ice Soul Jade had been found.

• Bai Zhixing showed Chen Shuangbai the agreement signed by Tian Guanyu and accused him of breaking it to seize the Silver Light Fish rearing method.
• Chen Shuangbai threatened Bai Zhixing, who revealed a black scale while Chen Shuangbai activated Wei Chengfeng's Foundation Establishment sword talisman.
• Bai Zhixing and Chen Shuangbai's tokens clashed, but neither could overcome the other's power, so Bai Zhixing forced his way through the formation and escaped.
• Chen Shuangbai suspected the Bai brothers might be blood descendants of a demon king and told Zhuang Wen to weaken the Azure Flood Dragon Society gradually.
• Zhuang Wen delivered the requested spiritual materials, including only two pieces of Ice Soul Jade, and Chen Shuangbai accepted them.

Chen Shuangbai began refining the thunder seed for his evolved [Midnight Month Cold Light Yin Thunder], using spiritual materials and a formation timed to midnight. After an arduous refinement, he successfully condensed the thunder seed and was left with a new Yin Thunder method to master.

• Chen Shuangbai sealed the courtyard and began refining spiritual materials, using mind-focusing incense and Daoist scripture to steady his thoughts.
• After spending days refining the materials and recovering his Law Power, Chen Shuangbai completed the essence Qi and noticed his cultivation had advanced.
• Chen Shuangbai set up a formation and waited for midnight, when the moonlight and the Yin Thunder method were most compatible.
• At the exact midnight hour, Chen Shuangbai chanted the incantation and formed the Midnight Month Thunder-Guiding Seal to condense the essence Qi.
• Lightning flickered within the essence Qi as frost spread across the floor, and Chen Shuangbai declared the thunder seed refinement a success.

Chen Shuangbai completed the refinement of the Midnight Month Cold Light Yin Thunder by nurturing it in his kidneys, then learned that a poisoned meal and fleeing assassin had led Bi Sheng to the Compassionate Light Temple. He flew to the temple to confront the monks who had refused to let Bi Sheng search for the assassin.

• Chen Shuangbai waited seven days and seven nights for the thunder seed to absorb the cold essence of the midnight moon, then swallowed it and endured its painful refinement in his kidneys.
• Chen Shuangbai successfully refined the Yin Thunder and summoned a strand of ice-blue lightning at his fingertip.
• Bi Sheng contacted Chen Shuangbai and reported that a young Daoist attendant had nearly died after eating poisoned spiritual food, while the assassin Bi Sheng pursued had fled into the Compassionate Light Temple.
• Chen Shuangbai told Zhuang Wen to guard the Spring-Venerating Daoist Academy and flew with Feiguang to No Return Peak, where Bi Sheng described the monks' refusal to allow a search.
• Chen Shuangbai asked who led the Compassionate Light Temple, learned that it was Huikong, and flew into the temple.

Chen Shuangbai attacked the Compassionate Light Temple after it sheltered criminals and confronted its monks with overwhelming thunder and sword techniques. He killed Abbot Huikong, while the temple’s monks and gathered believers were left amid the aftermath.

• Chen Shuangbai shattered the Buddhist light above the Compassionate Light Temple with Yin Thunder and crippled Huiming’s right arm.
• Huikong emerged with the monks and tried to placate Chen Shuangbai, but Chen attacked him with a strand of ice-blue lightning.
• Huikong’s Buddhist light and staff blocked Chen Shuangbai’s attacks, while the other monks were frozen in place.
• Chen Shuangbai sent the Green Parasol Tree Sword through Huikong’s defenses, and Huikong trapped it in his Vajra King Buddha Body.
• Chen Shuangbai’s hidden thunder erupted through Huikong’s body, killing him in front of Huiming and the believers.

Chen Shuangbai killed Huikong and Huiming, then ordered a search of the Compassionate Light Temple for its escaped monks, an assassin, and evidence of its crimes. The county magistrate arrived and eagerly supported the temple’s downfall.

• Chen Shuangbai used Yin Thunder to kill Huikong, while Feiguang stopped Huiming from escaping.
• Chen Shuangbai ambushed Huiming with Midnight Month Cold Light Yin Thunder and collected his belongings with Feiguang’s help.
• Bi Sheng subdued the temple’s believers and killed one fleeing monk, while three others escaped into the mountains.
• Chen Shuangbai ordered Feiguang to hunt the escaped monks and told Bi Sheng to seal the area and search the temple.
• Chang Yuan arrived after hearing the news and celebrated Chen Shuangbai’s attack on the Compassionate Light Temple.

Chen Shuangbai destroyed the Compassionate Light Temple and handed its evidence to Magistrate Chang Yuan to investigate. He then rushed to help Feiguang, only to discover the bird was fleeing a swarm of Gu insects controlled by the Black Feather Immortal, who had captured three temple survivors.

• Chen Shuangbai blasted apart the Grand Hall and ordered the destruction of the Compassionate Light Temple while Chang Yuan's men beat worshippers who mourned it.
• Bi Sheng brought Chen Shuangbai chests of records and valuables, and Chen Shuangbai entrusted them to Chang Yuan as evidence of the temple's crimes.
• Chen Shuangbai sensed through the Blood Pact that Feiguang was in trouble and flew to help him.
• A swarm of Gu insects attacked Chen Shuangbai, but his mist dragon froze the insects on contact.
• The Black Feather Immortal introduced himself and revealed that his Gu insect had captured the three surviving Compassionate Light Temple monks.

Chen Shuangbai returned three Compassionate Light Temple criminals to the county garrison and learned that the temple had abducted and assaulted women who prayed there. He did not know that the gu-wielding Black Feather Immortal was Gu Du, an Ancient People shaman secretly searching for a treasure, and the chapter ended with Chen asking Bi Sheng whether his poisoner was among the prisoners.

• Black Feather Immortal handed the three remnants of Compassionate Light Temple to Chen Shuangbai, then fled when Chen let him go.
• Black Feather Immortal revealed himself as Gu Du, an Ancient People shaman from Great Li Mountain who had come to the area seeking a treasure.
• Chen Shuangbai brought the three men to the county garrison, where Bi Sheng recorded their crimes, including abducting and assaulting women beneath the temple.
• Chen Shuangbai used the Pure Lotus Incantation to calm Bi Sheng's anger over the temple's crimes.
• Chen Shuangbai asked Bi Sheng whether the person who had poisoned him was among the three prisoners.

Chen Shuangbai sent the Jade Spring Sect a full account of the Compassionate Light Temple’s crimes before the Great Buddha Temple could make trouble over its destruction. Yi Chongyue brought the report to the Jade Guarding Hall, where Shi Yubai began considering the sect’s response.

• Chen Shuangbai told Bi Sheng to work with the county office to publicize the Compassionate Light Temple’s crimes.
• Worried that the Great Buddha Temple would complain to the Jade Spring Sect, Chen Shuangbai sent a detailed report by ten-thousand-mile voice transmission talisman.
• Lu Zhiyuan received the talisman and brought it to Yi Chongyue, who praised Chen Shuangbai for seeking the sect’s support.
• Yi Chongyue carried the report to Shi Yubai at the Jade Guarding Hall and asked him to support Chen Shuangbai.
• Shi Yubai read the report and reacted with cold severity to the Compassionate Light Temple’s crimes.

Shi Yubai rejected the Great Buddha Temple’s demand for an accounting and ordered measures against its influence in the Jade Spring Sect’s territory. Chen Shuangbai received the sect’s support, while the chapter ended by introducing the Great Buddha Temple’s imposing Great Sun Golden-Body Buddha in Sha Province.

• Shi Yubai burned the Great Buddha Temple’s letter and ordered Yuan Bikong to raise prices on goods sold there, halt construction of its temple in the capital, and alert the Evil Hunting Hall to scrutinize its temples.
• Shi Yubai told Yi Chongyue that the sect needed to repel the Great Buddha Temple and other forces probing its territory.
• Fan Qi delivered the Jade Spring Sect’s reply to Chen Shuangbai, which praised his actions and advised him to be more decisive in his methods.
• Chen Shuangbai inferred that the sect’s advice encouraged him to leave no witnesses and resumed his daily cultivation and work.
• The chapter described Sha Province’s Buddhist stronghold and the towering Great Sun Golden-Body Buddha at the Great Buddha Temple.

At the Great Buddha Temple, monks reacted angrily to the Jade Spring Sect’s actions as Chen Shuangbai’s campaign against the powers at Wind Howling Ford continued. Bai Xiuyuan secretly hired a killer from Black Cloud Cave to protect his injured brother, leaving the identity of the intended target unstated.

• More than a dozen Foundation Establishment monks at the Great Buddha Temple erupted in anger over the Jade Spring Sect’s conduct.
• Bai Zhixing learned that Chen Shuangbai had visited Returning Dragon Bay and inferred that the Jade Reef Water Manor had supplied his sword talisman and Yin Thunder Method.
• Bai Zhixing decided to enter the underwater site, retrieve a treasure, and flee with the Azure Flood Dragon Society once his injuries were suppressed.
• After Bai Zhixing ordered him to keep the men in line, Bai Xiuyuan secretly offered Black Cloud Cave thirty thousand lower-grade spirit stones to kill someone.
• The burly messenger reached Black Cloud Cave and told its guards that his master wanted the cave master to kill someone.

Bai Xiuyuan hired Black Cloud Cave to assassinate Chen Shuangbai, and the assassin Ye Youqi infiltrated the Spring-Venerating Daoist Academy. Ye Youqi poisoned Chen Shuangbai and rushed to kill him, only to meet a deep-blue Yin Thunder pellet at the door.

• Bai Xiuyuan’s subordinate negotiated with Black Cloud Cave and secured the assassination for eighty thousand lower-grade spirit stones.
• Black Cloud Cave assigned Ye Youqi three days to kill Chen Shuangbai at the Spring-Venerating Daoist Academy.
• Ye Youqi investigated Chen Shuangbai and studied his defenses before sneaking into the academy at night.
• Ye Youqi used poison mist to corrode the formation and transformed into a snake to slip through the academy’s defenses.
• Ye Youqi poisoned Chen Shuangbai in the Listening to the Waves Pavilion, then entered to kill him and faced a deep-blue thunder pellet.