Chapter Summaries

Shen Yu announced that he would seek Shen Yuan’s help getting into the Heaven Academy, while Shen Xue and her cousins prepared to take their chosen examinations without him. Shen Yuan overheard Shen Yu’s plans through the Thousand-Eye Technique, and Madam Zheng froze when he told her Shen Yu was coming.

• Shen Xue explained that she and her cousins had applied to the Earth, Mystic, and Yellow Academies, and Shen Yu approved of their choices.
• Shen Yu said he and his two followers would apply to the Heaven Academy and planned to ask Shen Yuan for help.
• Shen Yu claimed he was swallowing his pride for the Shen Family, then decided to travel by fast boat to Nanyang to confront Shen Yuan.
• Shen Xue hoped Shen Yu’s departure would let her take the examination in peace and resolved to rely on her own abilities.
• In Nanyang, Shen Yuan watched Shen Yu through the Thousand-Eye Technique and told Madam Zheng that Shen Yu was coming; her hand froze.

Shen Yuan anticipated that Shen Yu would come to Nanyang seeking help and warned Madam Zheng that he would likely get involved if she chose to help her younger son. Meanwhile, Shen Xue used a blood-bound puppet bearing Wang Ye’s expression to ask for aid, and Shen Qi sensed that someone was using his own technique to watch him.

• Shen Yuan told Madam Zheng that Shen Yu had already set out for Nanyang and would likely ask him for help, while she admitted she might not be able to turn her son away.
• Shen Yuan said he could not get Shen Yu directly into Heaven Academy, but would consider helping depending on what Shen Yu requested.
• Shen Xue and Shen Yang discussed the upcoming exam and urged each other to rest so they could seize their chance to stay in the academy.
• After Shen Yang left, Shen Xue dripped her blood onto a wooden puppet and pleaded for help; the puppet’s face resembled Wang Ye’s.
• While playing a board game with Shen Laosan, Shen Qi used an eyeball to watch Shen Xue and sensed that someone was using his technique to observe him.

Chen Qing visited Liuzhou Academy to oversee the second day's assessment and explained the admissions policies meant to recruit talent and family spell formulas. After surveying the candidates, he saw exceptional promise among several groups but worried about the divisions and conflicts their different backgrounds could bring.

• Chen Qing discussed admissions with the teachers, defending the tougher examination for local candidates by pointing to their advantages in foundational study and access to inherited spell formulas.
• Chen Qing surveyed the candidates' meditation aptitude and noted the Nine Ministers' descendants, northern family students, and commoner children had sharply different strengths.
• Chen Qing identified Murong Bingyun's inheritance as the Northern Wolf Kingdom's Ice Wolf Demon Brahma and considered it especially valuable.
• Chen Qing recognized Yun Keke's Spirit Eye talent as giving her exceptional spell-calculation and meditation abilities.
• Chen Qing worried that students divided by family interests could form hostile classes, and wondered where Wang Ye had gone.

Shen Xue struggled through the academy examination after the puppet drained her blood essence, while Murong Bingyun recognized the danger of her worshipping an evil being and warned her. Meanwhile, Seventh Master Shen and Wei Gongcheng arrived at Shen Xue’s room, leaving their reason for coming unexplained.

• Shen Yang noticed Shen Xue’s pallor before the examination, and she concealed that the puppet had nearly left her unable to get out of bed.
• Shen Xue entered the Earth Academy examination hall, where the ice jade’s chill and her depleted strength made answering the questions difficult.
• Murong Bingyun arranged warming jade and blood-replenishing soup for Shen Xue, then quietly warned her that worshipping evil things could be deadly.
• A soldier brought Shen Xue the warming jade and soup, while Murong Bingyun reflected on how much more peaceful life in Liuzhou was than in the Northern Desolation Kingdom.
• The puppet in Shen Xue’s bag stared fixedly at Murong Bingyun as he took his examination.
• Seventh Master Shen and Wei Gongcheng entered Shen Xue’s room, though the chapter did not reveal why they had come.

Seventh Master Shen and Wei Gongcheng uncovered evidence that Shen Xue was hiding a powerful evil entity behind an illusion, but they disagreed over whether to alert Chen Qing before his Dragon Palace mission. As the examination results were posted, Shen Xue unexpectedly ranked first in mathematics, while Murong Bingyun noticed the ominous straw figure she carried.

• Seventh Master Shen found Western Regions dancing-girl powder in Shen Xue's wardrobe and deduced that she was masking the smell of refined maiden blood essence used in a sacrifice.
• Seventh Master Shen explained that an evil entity beside Shen Xue had created an illusion that fooled his Thousand-Eye Technique, and he and Wei Gongcheng argued over whether to report it to Chen Qing immediately.
• After the first day of examinations, Shen Xue worried that failing would leave her family with little reason to keep supporting her, while Murong Bingyun and other candidates waited for the results.
• Murong Bingyun saw the straw figure emerge from Shen Xue's bundle and sensed that it could immobilize him, but the posting of the examination lists interrupted his questions.
• The posted list named Shen Xue first in mathematics.

Shen Lin and Shen Xing grew resentful of Shen Xue’s success and considered killing her to claim her place, while Murong Bingyun weighed cooperating with her despite sensing a dangerous evil entity nearby. Wei Gongcheng and Seventh Master Shen learned that Chen Qing had left after Princess White Jade summoned him, leaving them uneasy.

• Shen Lin proposed waiting until other unsuccessful candidates had departed, then killing Shen Xue so he and Shen Xing could try to claim her place; Shen Xing found himself tempted by the plan.
• A bizarre straw figure watched Shen Lin and Shen Xing as they developed matching sinister smiles.
• Murong Bingyun told Beiyu that Shen Xue’s mathematical talent could make her a useful partner in exchanging techniques, but he warned that a threatening evil entity followed her.
• Wei Gongcheng and Seventh Master Shen went to report their concerns, but Chen Ying told them Chen Qing had left two hours earlier.
• Chen Ying said Princess White Jade had summoned Chen Qing, and Wei Gongcheng felt uneasy about the timing.

Chen Qing met Princess White Jade, who asked to join his search for the Dragon Palace's spring source and revealed she knew details he had never shared. After he left, Wei Gongcheng and Seventh Master Shen grew alarmed by Ziyue's worsening instability at Great Azure Mountain and suspected the events were connected.

• Chen Qing took Ghost Child to meet Princess White Jade, who was inhabiting Master Shen San's body and standing beside Yuchi Feihong.
• Princess White Jade reminded Chen Qing of their Dragon Palace agreement and asked him to take her to scout the spring source's location.
• Chen Qing realized Princess White Jade knew his undisclosed plans and suspected she had a well-placed insider, possibly within his faction.
• Wei Gongcheng and Seventh Master Shen discussed Princess White Jade's sudden summons and Chen Ying reported that Ziyue's spiritual energy had become increasingly disordered.
• Seventh Master Shen suspected the events were connected and told the others to take him to see Ziyue.

Seventh Master Shen warned Hei Yun that something from the capital might have entered Jiangnan and recruited him to investigate Ziyue. Meanwhile, Wei Gongzhan comforted Xiaoli, who was troubled by her mother’s strange behavior, and accidentally made her think growing up meant eating people.

• Chen Ying stayed in Liuzhou City with Wei Gongcheng while Seventh Master Shen left to investigate a suspected demon and protect the opening ceremony.
• Seventh Master Shen visited Hei Yun at Great Azure Mountain, explained his suspicions about Shen Xue and the capital, and persuaded him to come along.
• Seventh Master Shen told Hei Yun they would first check on Ziyue, the reputed leader of Great Jin’s ten greatest sorcerers.
• Wei Gongzhan found Xiaoli on his bed and asked why she had come back so late.
• Xiaoli complained that a strange man was clinging to her mother and making her act strangely, then misunderstood Wei Gongzhan’s words about growing up as meaning she would eat people.

Shen Qi and Hei Yun discovered that their memories of the Azure Dragon Barrier’s location had been altered, then the barrier swallowed them and separated them. Wei Gongzhan learned that Chen Ying had released Ziyue, and Hei Yun came face to face with Ziyue inside the barrier.

• Hei Yun explained that Ziyue’s unstable spell could be affected by the autumn lunar yin, but Shen Qi suspected something was wrong with the barrier’s location.
• Hei Yun realized the barrier was not where Ziyue had been sealed, and he and Shen Qi concluded that the Thousand-Faced Fox had altered their memories.
• Xiaoli told Wei Gongzhan that Chen Ying had released her mother, Ziyue, earlier that day.
• A violent boom shook Great Azure Mountain, and Wei Gongzhan ran toward the disturbance while Xiaoli followed.
• The barrier swallowed Hei Yun and separated him from Shen Qi, after which Hei Yun encountered Ziyue.

Ziyue explained how she and A Li escaped the Azure Dragon Array by exploiting illusions and a weakness in Chen Ying’s inheritance-based control. A Li tried to recruit Seventh Master Shen, but he refused and prepared to fight.

• Ziyue told Hei Yun that she had spent a year using illusions and Yin Devourer Monsters to restore A Li’s strength and plan their escape.
• Ziyue revealed that she had concealed the real barrier behind an illusion, tricking Chen Ying into entering the Azure Dragon Array herself.
• Shen Laoqi realized Ziyue’s group had lured Chen Ying and the others into an ambush at Great Azure Mountain.
• A Li offered Seventh Master Shen a share of the Dragon Palace inheritance if he joined her side, but he refused, insisting that Chen Qing supported humanity.
• Seventh Master Shen challenged A Li and revealed that his Heavenly Eye Technique was a rare spatial technique.

Ziyue defeated Hei Yun while Shen Qi faced Murong Yunji, the hidden ancient insect and their inside agent. Murong Yunji killed Shen Qi before he could warn Chen Qing, then had the Yin Devourer consume his soul so it could impersonate him.

• Hei Yun revealed the Black Ultimate Technique, but Ziyue moved faster, pierced his chest, and froze him in a near-death state.
• Shen Qi used Kaleidoscope to fold space and exposed Murong Yunji, who escaped the spell and admitted nothing but revealed herself as his opponent.
• Murong Yunji killed Shen Qi before he could notify Chen Qing and held his head while he remained conscious.
• Murong Yunji ordered the Yin Devourer to impersonate Shen Qi convincingly, and it began biting into Shen Qi's soul.

Jiangnan Academy announced its admissions during a crowded opening ceremony, bringing joy to successful candidates and resentment toward outsiders who had gained places. Wei Gongcheng watched the event in Shen Qi’s absence until Shen Qi finally arrived, though Wei remained unsure whether he had noticed him.

• Chen Ying announced the academy admissions while Wei Gongcheng monitored the crowded ceremony in secret.
• Yun Ke'er gained admission to the Heaven Academy, delighting her mother and drawing the attention of distinguished families.
• Young people from the Nine Ministers' families discussed the hostility of Jiangnan families and how to win over talented commoner students.
• Shen Xue was admitted to the Earth Academy and looked forward to building a new life, while two legitimate descendants of the Shen Family watched her with malicious smiles.
• Wei Gongcheng relaxed as the ceremony neared its end, and Shen Qi arrived at the academy entrance and nodded to Chen Ying.
• Wei Gongcheng wondered whether Shen Qi had failed to notice him.

Wei Gongcheng suspected that the Shen Qi who returned from Great Azure Mountain was an impostor and discovered that Hei Yun’s contact with Wei Gongzhan had gone unanswered. Meanwhile, Xiaoli guarded the badly injured Wei Gongzhan from Murong Yunji and the others, while Ziyue warned that the entity in Liuzhou was dangerous.

• Shen Qi told Chen Ying and Wei Gongcheng that Ziyue’s lunar yin energy had injured him, while Wei Gongcheng reported finding nothing unusual about Shen Xue.
• After Shen Qi left, Wei Gongcheng entered the Yin Realm and examined Great Azure Mountain, then concluded that Shen Qi’s behavior suggested something had happened to him or that he was not Shen Qi.
• Wei Gongcheng searched Hei Yun’s hut and found a blood stone with a contact spell formula at one of Hei Yun’s fishing spots.
• Wei Gongcheng activated the formula, but Wei Gongzhan did not respond, leading Wei Gongcheng to fear that he had been harmed.
• Xiaoli blocked Murong Yunji and the others from entering a cave where Wei Gongzhan lay gravely wounded, and A Li ordered them to keep watch rather than kill him.
• Ziyue warned Murong Yunji that the entity in Liuzhou was dangerous and that Chen Qing’s forces could still threaten them.

Wei Gongzhan lay injured on Great Azure Mountain and suspected that Xiaoli’s immunity to her mother’s memory-altering power had kept his memories intact. Meanwhile, Wei Gongcheng reasoned that Wei Gongzhan might share that immunity and be restrained because he could expose the mountain’s infiltrators.

• Xiaoli gave the injured Wei Gongzhan dew, and he realized a day had passed while his arm’s communication seal had repeatedly heated up.
• Wei Gongzhan concluded that the Thousand-Faced Fox had escaped, Murong Yunji was an inside agent, and the current Seventh Master Shen was a fake.
• Wei Gongzhan suspected the enemy could not alter his memories and wondered whether Xiaoli’s abilities had protected him.
• Wei Gongcheng waited in the Underworld plane for a response to his message, then considered why Wei Gongzhan had not come down from the mountain.
• Wei Gongcheng recalled Chen Qing’s theory that Xiaoli had inherited immunity to the Thousand-Faced Fox’s memory control.
• Wei Gongcheng guessed that Wei Gongzhan shared Xiaoli’s immunity and was being held on Great Azure Mountain because his memories remained intact.

At the banquet, the capital’s aristocratic scions sought to build ties with Jiangnan students, and Pang Xing’s group approached Yun Ke’er and her mother. After Yun Niang rejected a distant match, Pang Xing proposed that an outstanding son from his family marry into hers.

• Northern scions celebrated their assessment results in close family groups, while capital scions mingled with Jiangnan students to build relationships.
• Yun Niang brought Yun Ke’er to the banquet, where capital scions gathered around the girl because of her high assessment ranking.
• Pang Xing introduced himself and praised Yun Ke’er’s theoretical talent, easing Yun Niang’s wariness.
• Pang Xing asked whether Yun Ke’er was betrothed, and Yun Niang said she was too young and that she did not want her daughter to marry far away.
• Pang Xing suggested that an outstanding son from his family could marry into Yun Niang’s family.

Pang Xing offered Yun Niang a live-in son-in-law selected from a hundred young men in exchange for Yun Ke'er giving the great families first consideration when choosing spell techniques. Yun Ke'er insisted she would marry Yuchi Feihu, while Murong decided to approach Shen Xue after noticing something was wrong with her.

• Pang Xing offered Yun Niang a choice of eligible young men for Yun Ke'er to marry into her family, asking in return that Yun Ke'er consider the great families when choosing spell techniques.
• Yun Niang asked whether the arrangement would hinder Yun Ke'er's studies, and Pang Xing promised her interests would take priority if the spell techniques conflicted.
• Yun Ke'er said she planned to marry General Yuchi Feihu, but Pang Xing and Yun Niang argued that his age, family, and dangerous military life made him unsuitable.
• Murong Bingyun noticed Shen Xue passing nearby and decided to approach her because he sensed something was wrong with her.
• Beiyu felt inexplicably uneasy as Murong left to check on Shen Xue.

Murong Bingyun approached Shen Xue, learned that her evil-god intermediary had disappeared, and offered to inspect her room and help free her from the entity. Meanwhile, Beiyu sensed that Murong was in danger and went to find him with Wutu Yun and the others.

• Murong Bingyun caught Shen Xue as she staggered and explained that an evil entity might be affecting her through her worship.
• Shen Xue revealed that the straw doll was missing and that she feared something terrible awaited her in her room.
• Murong Bingyun offered to search Shen Xue's room for the intermediary, and she accepted his help.
• Wutu Yun returned to Beiyu's table and learned that Murong had gone to meet Shen Xue.
• Beiyu warned that Murong might be in danger, so she and the others set out to find him.

Chen Qing suspected Ziyue had secretly worked with Baiyu and another ancient worm to target Jiangnan, but he could not return without risking his chance to enter the Dragon Palace. As his ship crossed the silent West Sea, he received word that a child from the Murong Family of the Northern Wolf Kingdom had died.

• Chen Qing told Ghost Child that the empty sea suggested danger was approaching and that Baiyu had likely been plotting to take Jiangnan.
• Chen Qing reasoned that Ziyue was the likely ancient worm hidden among his faction’s associates and suspected she had helped Baiyu with the earlier plot involving Thousand-Faced Fox and Ziyue’s capture.
• Chen Qing explained that Jiangnan lacked enough elite fighters and power of faith to deploy Ghost Child safely, so returning would expose the faction and jeopardize the Dragon Palace opportunity.
• Chen Qing received a message through his divine seal that a child from the Murong Family of the Northern Wolf Kingdom had died.

After Murong Bingyun was found brutally murdered, Chen Ying took charge of the scene and promised the Northern Wolf students an investigation and an accounting. Wei Gongcheng suspected the killing was a probe by a powerful outside force and revealed that Murong’s spirit was still in Liuzhou.

• Chen Ying arrived at the scene, learned Shen Xue was unconscious from depleted qi and blood, and ordered her taken to the Yellow Academy.
• Beiyu accepted Chen Ying’s promise to investigate Murong Bingyun’s death and compensate the Northern Wolf Kingdom, then led the students away.
• Beiyu told the others that Jiangnan’s territory and the possibility of an outside force made an angry confrontation pointless, and suspected the monster connected to Shen Xue might be tied to the capital.
• Wei Gongcheng told Chen Ying that the killing was partly a probe and that they needed to find Murong’s spirit to learn what happened.
• Wei Gongcheng warned that something capable of devouring spirits might have entered Liuzhou, but confirmed that Murong’s spirit was still there.

Wei Gongcheng investigated Murong's escape from Shen Xue's room and suspected his death was part of an enemy probe, while Murong Bingyun realized he had survived as a spirit in Jiangnan. Murong suspected the monster had targeted the wolf mark on his arm and struggled to choose between fleeing Jiangnan and remaining under its protection.

• Wei Gongcheng told Chen Ying that Murong's spirit had escaped through the broken balcony window and used a wind spell to flee.
• Wei Gongcheng concluded Murong's killer and the monster that pursued his spirit were likely different, and he warned Chen Ying to reassure the students while the search began.
• Wei Gongcheng told Chen Ying that Chen Qing had ordered him to solve the case and keep his composure, then wondered what the enemy was probing.
• Murong Bingyun discovered that he remained a spirit in Jiangnan and considered whether Chen Qing had arranged his death.
• Murong Bingyun suspected the monster had targeted the wolf mark on his arm and worried that leaving Jiangnan would strip him of protection, while staying would leave him exposed to pursuit.