Chapter Summaries

Murong Bingyun was brought to the Day Wandering God's home and realized it belonged to Chen Qing's family, while the man and his wife argued over their troubled son. On the West Sea, Chen Qing and Ghost Child discovered that the Dragon Palace had opened early as countless flood dragons stirred beneath the water.

• The Day Wandering God brought the lost Murong Bingyun home, and his wife scolded him for bringing another ghost into the household.
• The Day Wandering God's wife complained that their son was ostracized because of his father's ghostly status and said she would ask Chen Qing to help.
• Murong Bingyun recognized Chen Qing's name and realized he had arrived at Chen Qing's home, where he decided he was safer staying.
• Ghost Child questioned why the attackers had struck so long before the Dragon Palace opening, leaving Chen Qing unable to explain their timing.
• Ghost Child spotted something ahead on the West Sea, and Chen Qing saw lantern-eyed, horned creatures beneath the water.
• Chen Qing realized the Dragon Palace had opened early as countless flood dragons opened their eyes beneath the sea.

Chen Qing reached the Dragon Palace’s water nexus and learned that it would open in ten days, while he sent a signal to gather allies and left his subordinates to handle a demon’s murder in Jiangnan. Meanwhile, Cui Yan’s sinister possession clashed with A Li and Ziyue over their plan to seize Chen Qing’s forces, and his use of Ziyue’s real name exposed a hidden connection.

• Chen Qing saw the thousands of awakened jiaolong guarding the water nexus and learned that the Dragon Palace would open in ten days.
• Chen Qing sent a signal to gather allies and told Baiyu that he had left his subordinates in Jiangnan to deal with the demon that killed a Murong Family child.
• A Li rebuked Cui Yan for probing Wei Gongcheng and risking the conspirators’ plan to take control of Liuzhou while Chen Qing was away.
• Cui Yan revealed Ziyue’s real name, Lu Xintong, and provoked her into showing him killing intent.
• A Li grew suspicious of the connection between Cui Yan’s inhabitant and Ziyue, who continued to conceal her past.

Chen Ye brought Murong Bingyun through the Underworld and explained its economy, lifespan, and form of reincarnation while the two considered the boy’s unknown origins. As demonic energy spread through the living world and chaos engulfed Liuzhou, Ziyue prepared to leave for the city as Chen Ying watched the academy fall into disorder.

• Chen Ye warned Murong Bingyun to stay close and explained how family worship, merit, karmic power, and underworld lifespan worked.
• Murong Bingyun learned that reincarnation dispersed a spirit’s imprints into the world and considered whether to trust Chen Qing or infiltrate the Underworld.
• Day Wandering Gods told Chen Ye that the Lord City God had summoned them because demons were spreading vicious energy, then left him to guard the Underworld.
• Ziyue and A Li saw the Dragon Palace signal and agreed that the secret realm’s exploration would begin ten days later.
• Ziyue decided to travel to Liuzhou after she and A Li saw pale red vicious energy rising over the city.
• Chen Ying watched the academy descend into chaos and felt a chill at the eerie scene.

Chen Ying watched fear and suspicion spread through the academy hall, turning students and the Battle God Army against each other until she froze the restaurant with Liuzhou’s defensive formation. Wei Gongcheng arrived and showed her that the same panic was spreading among the people outside, leaving the source of the influence unknown.

• Chen Ying tried to reassure the students after Murong’s death, but outside aristocratic families questioned whether the academy could protect anyone and spread doubts about demons and the Lord Door God.
• Chen Ying noticed that the students and Battle God Army were becoming increasingly agitated and hostile, though she could detect no demonic aura.
• A hundred-man captain drew his saber and led the fighters toward the aristocratic youths, who began casting spells in response.
• Chen Ying activated the defensive formation and froze everyone inside the restaurant before the confrontation could turn deadly.
• Wei Gongcheng arrived, praised Chen Ying for stopping the violence, and pointed out that the crowd outside was voicing the same fears and conspiracy theories.

Ziyue confronted the Chaos Heart Demon, who was stirring panic in Liuzhou to draw Wei Gongcheng out and whose plans involved the wolf god Dire Wolf. At the frozen restaurant, Wei Gongcheng received Chen Qing’s brief instruction to investigate the source of the panic, leaving him responsible for finding a way forward despite the shortage of power of faith.

• Ziyue observed that the Chaos Heart Demon’s attempt to provoke Liuzhou’s residents was progressing slowly, and she witnessed a scholar keep his wife calm despite their child being trapped in the restaurant.
• The scarecrow explained that he had stirred up Liuzhou to force Wei Gongcheng to act, while Ziyue realized that the scarecrow’s vessel resembled Wang Ye and identified his connection to Dire Wolf and Evening Elephant.
• Ziyue challenged the scarecrow over killing Murong Bingyun, and he admitted he had his reasons before reflecting that their group could no longer remain as it once was.
• At the restaurant, Chen Ying and Wei Gongcheng watched disorder spread through Liuzhou and struggled to decide what to do.
• Wei Gongcheng received Chen Qing’s message directing him to find the source of the panic, then asked Chen Ying to retrieve the restaurant’s Mirror Image Jade so they could review its recordings.

Chen Qing explained that the Liuzhou monster spread fear through chosen vessels, while Wei Gongcheng investigated its source. Wei Gongcheng identified two Shen Family disciples as suspicious and focused on finding the Northern Wolf Kingdom children to learn why Murong had been killed.

• Chen Qing told Ghost Child that the monster spread negative emotions through vessels and could be stopped by finding them or locating its source.
• Chen Qing recalled designing Heart Demon as a demon that spread influence through selected vessels, and considered whether Wei Gongcheng could solve the crisis.
• Wei Gongcheng studied the Mirror Image Jade and identified two Shen Family disciples who had moved unusually around the restaurant.
• Chen Ying recognized the suspects as Shen Xue's cousins, and Wei Gongcheng concluded that an outside force was likely behind their behavior and the spreading fear.
• Wei Gongcheng connected the evil entity attached to Shen Xue, the Shen brothers, and Murong's death, then ordered Chen Ying to find the Northern Wolf Kingdom children to uncover why Murong had been targeted.

Beiyu and her companions tried to find Murong Bingyun while the demon’s influence spread through Liuzhou and began affecting Wutu Yun. They followed Murong’s trail into Chen Qing’s government office, while Ziyue and the scarecrow arrived outside and chose to wait for the city’s chaos to worsen.

• Beiyu noticed bloody tears in Wutu Yun’s eyes and realized fear and agitation accelerated the demon’s influence, so she split the group and kept him close.
• Wutu Yun recalled speaking with a chubby boy from the Shen Family, leading Beiyu to suspect the monster connected to Shen Xue was behind Liuzhou’s chaos.
• Beiyu, Wutu Yun, and Han Feng followed Murong Bingyun’s trail to Chen Qing’s government office, where Chen Ye’s wife invited them inside after Beiyu asked about a missing child in white feather robes.
• Ziyue and the scarecrow reached the government office, but Ziyue refused to help break in and warned that Chen Qing’s courtyard was dangerous.
• The scarecrow agreed to wait, expecting Liuzhou’s spreading chaos to give him an opportunity to force out Chen Qing’s contingencies and obtain Murong’s mark.

Beiyu and the others sought help from Chen Ye to learn how Murong died, while Ziyue and the straw figure discovered that the Underworld’s divine officers had been called away. A Li confirmed the Underworld was temporarily unguarded and persuaded Chen Ye to open its passage.

• Sister-in-law Chen explained that Murong’s spirit had visited her and said family could usually meet the dead only through dreams, so she led Beiyu and the others to find her husband, Chen Ye.
• Ziyue and the straw figure watched the group and learned they were seeking the Day Wandering God to reach Murong in the Underworld.
• On the way to the City God Temple, Beiyu told Sister-in-law Chen that Dean Chen Ying was accused of freezing the restaurant where Murong had died, and she defended Chen Ying’s character.
• Chen Ye appeared at the temple and said he could not arrange a dream because the City God had summoned the Underworld’s divine officers to help in the world of the living.
• The straw figure offered Ziyue and A Li priority access to the Dragon Palace’s secret medicine if they helped capture Murong Bingyun, and Ziyue accepted.
• A Li verified that the Underworld’s divine officers were away, read Chen Ye’s memories, and persuaded him to open the passage to the Underworld.

Wei Gongcheng revealed that he had lured Ziyue and her companions into the Underworld to protect his lord’s Dragon Palace plan. As Ziyue tried to escape through a breach between worlds, Wei Gongcheng reached the opening first, but a warning cry came from below.

• Beiyu watched the woman in red open the Underworld and feared that her group had ruined Murong’s last chance to survive.
• Ziyue and the straw man discussed the Underworld’s power and hurried to find Murong before its lord returned.
• Wei Gongcheng appeared beside Murong, captured the human vessels with chains, and sealed Chen Ye’s passage between yin and yang.
• Ziyue pierced the Underworld with a beam of starlight and fled with A Li and the straw man as Wei Gongcheng pursued them.
• Wei Gongcheng blocked the opening ahead of Ziyue and the others, then heard someone below cry out to warn him.

Murong Yunji rescued Ziyue’s group by pulling Wei Gongcheng out of the Underworld, where A Li tried to control him but he sealed his senses. Ziyue prepared to leave for the Dragon Palace, while Chen Qing learned of Wei Gongcheng’s risky plan and Wei Gongzhan received a warning from his cousin.

• Murong Yunji struck Wei Gongcheng from outside the Underworld and rescued Ziyue’s group, leaving Murong Bingyun behind.
• A Li tried to alter Wei Gongcheng’s memories, but he sealed his seven senses to block her ability.
• Ziyue explained that Wei Gongcheng’s capture had been her plan and announced she would leave for the Dragon Palace within the seven-day deadline.
• Chen Qing read Wei Gongcheng’s message and judged his desperate plan to be the best available move.
• Wei Gongzhan reached a rune with Xiaoli and received a message from Wei Gongcheng warning that he had been placed under their control.

Wei Gongcheng’s message explained that Wei Gongzhan was meant to help reclaim Liuzhou while Ziyue and the other powerful figures traveled to the Dragon Palace. He persuaded Xiaoli to consider helping by promising to spare her mother, the Thousand-Faced Fox, and revealed that Xiaoli’s power to undo memory control could be used only once per day, leaving them to decide who should receive that crucial chance.

• Wei Gongcheng explained that he had expected Wei Gongzhan to escape Great Azure Mountain and serve as his fallback plan to reclaim Liuzhou.
• Wei Gongcheng said the Thousand-Faced Fox would likely be left in Liuzhou while Ziyue, the capital monster, and Murong Yunji went to the Dragon Palace.
• Wei Gongcheng asked Xiaoli to help save Great Azure Mountain’s people, and Wei Gongzhan warned her that her mother might eventually eat them all.
• Wei Gongcheng promised to capture the Thousand-Faced Fox rather than kill her if Xiaoli helped save Liuzhou, and Xiaoli asked whether he meant it.
• Xiaoli revealed that she could undo another person’s memory control only once a day, and Wei Gongcheng said they would have to spend their single chance on the most useful person.

A Li used the Thousand-Faced Fox’s abilities to calm Liuzhou and strengthen her control, while Shen Yu rushed to find Shen Xue after hearing of the Shen Family scandal. Outside the city, Shen Yuan learned that Wei Gongzhan had lured Shen Yu away so he could enter Liuzhou, leaving the city’s safety dependent on him.

• A Li surveyed the calm Liuzhou and resolved to avoid provoking the powerful Underworld lords while she built up her strength.
• A Li spotted Shen Yu approaching and checked his memories, confirming he had hurried to find Shen Xue after hearing about the scandal.
• Shen Yu entered Shen Xue’s room, apologized to Chen Ying, and explained that he feared for his younger sister.
• A Li used her innate talent on Shen Yu and found that he had told the truth, then realized her repeated use of the ability was exhausting her.
• Outside Liuzhou, Shen Yuan learned that Wei Gongzhan had arranged for Shen Yu to be distracted so Shen Yuan could enter the city.
• Wei Gongzhan told Shen Yuan that Liuzhou’s safety now depended on him.

Shen Yuan learned that Liuzhou was under the Thousand-Faced Fox’s control and agreed to help Wei Gongzhan investigate. While A Li and Hei Yun discussed the risk of Shen Yuan seeing through their deception, Shen Yuan confronted Shen Yu and then visited Seventh Master Shen, uncertain whether he was genuine.

• Wei Gongzhan told Shen Yuan that the City God might be controlled and asked him to help because Wei Gongzhan and Xiaoli could not enter Liuzhou City.
• A Li decided not to control Shen Yuan, and Hei Yun assured Chen Ying that Shen Yuan would not detect the deception because the person in question was Shen Qi.
• Shen Yu begged Shen Yuan and Madam Zheng to let him hide in Jiangnan, but Shen Yuan urged him to return to the capital and warn the Shen Family before offering to seek permission for him to study at the Foundation Academy.
• Shen Yuan learned from Shen Yu that Academy Head Chen was in Shen Xue’s room and suspected Chen had been controlled.
• Shen Yuan visited Seventh Master Shen, who claimed the crisis had been resolved but said Academy Head Chen was still investigating with Shen Xue.
• Shen Yuan asked Seventh Master Shen to go with him to Great Azure Mountain to study the Lesser Azure Dragon Formation.

Wei Gongzhan and Xiaoli approached Shen Yifeng outside the door gods’ surveillance range, where Shen Yifeng realized his memories had been altered. Chen Qing explained that the Thousand-Faced Fox’s memory-altering ability could be detected by someone as perceptive as Shen Yifeng, leaving their deception at risk.

• The Thousand-Faced Fox had used A Li’s ability to alter Shen Yifeng’s memories and make him serve as a substitute for the dead Yin Devourer.
• Shen Yuan led Shen Yifeng toward Wei Gongzhan, while Wei Gongzhan approached with Xiaoli hidden in his clothes.
• Xiaoli escaped into the sunlight, and Shen Yifeng stepped beyond the door gods’ range and recognized that his memories had been altered.
• Ghost Child asked Chen Qing whether Shen Yifeng would notice the changes, and Chen Qing explained how inconsistencies could expose the Thousand-Faced Fox’s deception.
• Chen Qing recalled that Shen Yifeng was exceptionally talented and concluded that Ziyue and the Thousand-Faced Fox had underestimated him.

A Li woke after sleeping for twenty-six hours, while Shen Qi kept her under hypnosis to protect Liuzhou and explained why he was stalling until Lord Chen returned. On the way to the Dragon Palace, Chen Qing received Shen Qi’s report, and Baiyu warned that a court ship was approaching.

• A Li learned that she had slept for twenty-six hours, checked that Liuzhou’s fortune remained stable, and asked Hei Yun to bring her ordinary food.
• Hei Yun returned with a meal and found A Li asleep again, unaware that the eye in her room had moved.
• Shen Qi told Wei Gongzhan and Shen Yuan that he was dead, too unstable to fight Hei Yun, and feared an attack would draw Ziyue back to Liuzhou.
• Shen Qi chose to keep the Thousand-Faced Fox hypnotized and stall until Lord Chen returned, while Wei Gongzhan and Shen Yuan entrusted Liuzhou’s fate to him.
• Chen Qing received Shen Qi’s message aboard the boat and reflected that the divine kingdom depended on obtaining the Dragon Palace’s crucial item.
• Baiyu warned Chen Qing that a court ship with a distinctive aura was approaching.

Chen Qing welcomed the imperial court’s delegation to the Dragon Palace and met its senior representatives, including Hong Yue and Pang Xingyun. Chen Baifeng began introducing the final delegate by asking whether Chen Qing remembered Mr. Origami.

• Chen Qing wondered how the court had assembled its delegation so quickly, then greeted Chen Baifeng when the imperial ship arrived.
• Chen Baifeng said the court had sent four senior warlocks with deputies and introduced Hong Yue as the guards’ leader.
• Chen Qing and Hong Yue exchanged friendly words over Hong Lie’s time in Jiangnan, and Hong Yue acknowledged Chen Qing’s kindness.
• Chen Baifeng introduced Pang Xingyun, who thanked Chen Qing for helping punish his father’s killer, and Li Kainian, the retired Minister of Personnel.
• Chen Baifeng asked whether Chen Qing remembered Mr. Origami, leaving Chen Qing speechless.

Chen Qing identified Gu Ying, the palace spellcaster whose art countered Shen Qi, as the factions gathered near the Dragon Palace. The Duke of Wei arrived with powerful allies, and Chen Qing was stunned to see an old man who looked like Liu Yu, the Duke of Song.

• Chen Baifeng introduced Gu Ying as a palace spellcaster who had held the Black Tortoise position for twenty years, and Chen Qing recalled Shen Qi warning that Gu Ying countered his abilities.
• Xiao Mingxue arrived by ship after the court’s vessel, and she wondered why the court had reached the Dragon Palace so quickly.
• Shen Laoda’s black mist drew the flood dragons’ attention, and Xiao Mingxue and the others waited as the creatures stared at their ships.
• The Duke of Wei arrived with Bai Sang and Xiang Tianyu, surprising Xiao Mingxue with the powerful allies he had brought.
• Xiao Mingxue stepped onto Chen Qing’s ship to stand beside him, and Chen Qing froze when he saw an old man resembling Liu Yu among the Duke of Wei’s party.

Chen Qing introduced Baiyu as the cause of the Dragon Palace opening early, and the gathered factions disputed whether she could join their division of the entrances. Murong Yunji and Ziyue arrived, revealing formidable allies for Baiyu, and Chen Qing proposed randomly assigning the factions to the four entrances.

• Chen Qing met Ghost Mr. Mirror, learned he had taken on the Duke of Song's appearance for certain assignments, and introduced Baiyu to the gathered leaders.
• Baiyu admitted she had concealed the area in fog, while the eldest princess challenged her right to share the four Dragon Palace entrances.
• Murong Yunji arrived and revealed the scarlet mark of an ancient insect in her eyes, prompting Shen Laowu to recognize her.
• Ziyue descended in a streak of starlight, and sorcerers from the court and north saluted her as a senior.
• Ziyue and Shen Laoda clashed with their spiritual power, and Shen Laoda asked Chen Qing how the newly enlarged group should divide the entrances.
• Chen Qing proposed randomly assigning the factions, leaving everyone stunned.

Chen Qing revealed that he would enter the Dragon Palace’s core alone with Ziyue and a few others, destroy it within six hours, and escape through a route that would scatter them toward the four sea eyes. As the Dragon Palace neared opening, Xu Hu and Tian Heng waited with the Fighter Army outside the West Sea while Tian Heng sensed that the venture could decide whether the Sea God path survived.

• Chen Qing explained that he wanted the core’s scholarly and magical legacies and would destroy the core within six hours to delay the revival of its creatures.
• Chen Qing refused to let the factions accompany him as groups, explaining that the escape route had only four places and would split them among the four sea eyes.
• Chen Baifeng and the others declined to join Chen Qing after learning they would have to leave assistants behind and risk being separated.
• Ziyue agreed to go with Chen Qing, while Baiyu told her retainer Yuchi Feihong to wait for her.
• Chen Qing told everyone to prepare because the Dragon Palace would open within half a day.
• At the West Sea, Xu Hu worried about Chen Qing entering without the Fighter Army, while Tian Heng sensed that success or failure could determine whether the Sea God path endured.

The emperor learned that the nine ministerial families had accepted Chen Qing’s limit on the number of Above First Rank sorcerers, while the empress revealed that she was the source of the world. As the Dragon Palace began drawing water vapor and the Yin-Yang Road threatened to reopen, Chen Qing set his plan in motion to control the ten thousand jiaolong.

• The emperor learned from the empress that Chen Qing had forced the nine ministerial families to agree to four Above First Rank sorcerers, and she hinted at the King of Qin Plan and a greater enemy.
• The empress told the emperor that she and her kind were the source of the world.
• The King of Qin and Mr. Heavenly Secrets discussed the disasters beginning with the Dragon Palace’s opening and the coming return of the Yin-Yang Road.
• Chen Qing warned the Duke of Wei, the eldest princess, and the other leaders that the Ten Thousand Jiaolong Grand Formation would draw water vapor from across the world, and asked them to protect their people.
• Chen Qing placed a water-blue gem at his prepared location, creating a powerful wind corridor that sent the ten thousand jiaolong into a frenzy.