Chapter Summaries

The empress and emperor discussed the Dragon Palace’s revival, Chen Qing’s resistance, and a hidden pawn meant to unleash the Flames of the Red Lotus. At the North Sea, the duke’s youngest son showed ominous black light in his eyes, while Xiang Tianyu warned that the imperial palace might have secretly turned the northern households’ hostages against them.

• The empress explained that the Dragon Palace had raised near-transcendent creatures and warned that its experimental subjects could become more dangerous than the dragons.
• The empress revealed that she had arranged a hidden pawn who could use the Flames of the Red Lotus to destroy the Dragon Palace’s monsters, surprising the emperor.
• The duke’s youngest son tried to learn how his uncle was faring during the Dragon Transformation ritual, then silently displayed chilling black light in his eyes.
• Xiang Tianyu explained that he had split his forces to guard against the yakshas and other possible threats.
• Xiang Tianyu told his subordinate he suspected that the imperial palace had secretly brainwashed the northern households’ hostages, including the second young master of the Xiao Household.

The yakshas discovered that a transformed Thousand-Footed Dragon had escaped after killing its escorts, while Xiang Tianyu learned that the youngest member of his group carried something strange. A black dragon-like shadow then burst from underground and swallowed Xiang Tianyu’s men, leaving him and A Nian with the yaksha as it warned that the others were dead.

• Two yakshas found the Dragon Transformation altar overturned and realized the transformed Thousand-Footed Dragon had escaped through a tunnel after killing its escorts.
• A yaksha told Xiang Tianyu that the Dragon Shark offered a strong transformation, but Xiang Tianyu asked whether anyone in his group had smelled strange.
• The yaksha identified the Duke of Wei’s youngest son as carrying something unusual, then sensed danger and carried Xiang Tianyu away.
• A black shadow erupted from underground, dragged the Dragon Shark into the tunnel, and swallowed Xiang Tianyu’s men and the spellcasters.
• The yaksha identified the creature as a Thousand-Footed Dragon and warned Xiang Tianyu that his companions were dead, while A Nian remained beside him.

Xiang Tianyu and Yaksha discovered that a creature was controlling the Thousand-Footed Dragon, while Xiang Tianyu learned the Dragon Palace planned to use transformed humans as sources of blood essence. At the North Sea, the Duke of Wei’s heir ordered a desperate breakout, hoping to save most of the city’s people and persuade Jiangnan to send help.

• Xiang Tianyu lost his men to the Thousand-Footed Dragon, and Yaksha explained that a strange creature was stimulating the weakened dragon’s body and controlling it.
• Yaksha admitted the Dragon Palace had planned to drain the blood essence of humans who completed Dragon Transformation, though Xiang Tianyu suspected they also wanted control of his forces.
• Yaksha said the group could only avoid the Thousand-Footed Dragon and wait for its body to suffer a backlash from being forced past its limits.
• North Sea envoys pressured Jiangnan’s fighters to send help, while Xu Hu, Shen Shiyi, and Shen Laosan considered the city’s urgent situation and awaited their lord’s decision.
• The Duke of Wei’s heir learned that the city had only ten days of food and ordered the troops to assemble for an immediate breakout.

Wang Shiyu led a volunteer cavalry force toward North Sea City to open a passage and seek aid from Jiangnan, despite wavering morale and the clans’ reluctance to risk their core members. At North Sea City, the old man prepared to unleash thousands of giant snakes against them, convinced the expedition would be destroyed.

• Wang Shiyu led nearly fifty thousand cavalry out of the crowded northern capital, carrying only one day’s rations for a desperate attempt to reach North Sea City.
• As some bloodline descendants deserted for the capital, Wang Shiyu let them leave and offered his officers a possible future in Jiangnan’s Fighter Army if the passage was opened.
• Wang Shiyu declared that he would pledge allegiance to Chen Qing if Jiangnan could save the northern people, and said the clans had forfeited their standing by abandoning them.
• At North Sea City, an old man learned that Wang Shiyu was approaching and praised his courage while lamenting the fate of Lu Ming’s eldest son.
• The old man ordered the snake-man to ensure Jiangnan’s people died and Chen Qing was captured alive; the snake-man then summoned thousands of giant pythons to surround North Sea City.

Wang Shiyu led the northern cavalry into North Sea City, only to discover that the Lu Household and other great families had set them up for an ambush by the Earth Serpents. As the Earth Mother appeared and cut off their last escape, Wang Shiyu and his soldiers charged toward her without fear.

• Wang Shiyu and his soldiers entered the devastated North Sea City, where an Earth Serpent seized Uncle Guo and countless more snakes erupted from the ground.
• Wang Shiyu realized that the great families had likely exposed his plan so they could abandon him and the billion people of the north.
• Wang Shiyu escaped with nearly twenty thousand cavalrymen and led them toward the docks, intending to flee into the sea on their horses.
• The Earth Mother rose from the water, casting North Sea City into shadow and making the pursuing Earth Serpents even faster.
• Wang Shiyu ordered the cavalry to form up and charge the Earth Mother, and the soldiers followed him into battle.

As Wang Shiyu charged the enormous serpent at the docks, a dragon appeared and struck the monster away, freezing the waves before they could destroy North Sea City. Wang Shiyu landed safely and wondered whether the dragon was his father.

• The Lu Household elders decided to let the northern great clans flee and discussed Earth Mother's awakening and the coming danger to Jiangnan.
• Wang Shiyu charged the serpent's gaping maw on horseback as his deputy generals shouted for him to look above.
• A dragon roared into the battle and knocked the enormous serpent away with a single blow.
• The dragon froze the towering waves before they could engulf the docks, and Wang Shiyu and his horse landed safely.
• Wang Shiyu approached the dragon and asked whether it was his father.

Xu Hu and the Shen family discovered that a dragon had frozen giant snakes and left an ice path across the North Sea, then found Xiang Tianyu and others trapped in ice with a deadly yaksha and the transformed Wang Shijie. Xiang Tianyu identified the dragon as the Duke of Wei, and the group prepared to melt the ice while Shen San grew suspicious of what the prisoners’ blinking meant.

• Xu Hu reached the North Sea and found an enormous ice path left by a dragon that had frozen giant snakes and headed north.
• Xu Hu identified the frozen prisoners as Xiang Tianyu and others, alongside a threatening yaksha and Wang Shijie fused with a Thousand-Footed Dragon.
• Shen Laosan established that Xiang Tianyu could hear them, and Xiang Tianyu blinked to confirm that the dragon was the Duke of Wei.
• Xiang Tianyu’s answers suggested an evil entity among the group had possessed Wang Shijie and caused the deaths of most of their companions.
• Shen Lao'er proposed using stored Golden Crow Flame with Shen Shiyi’s Divine Fire Spell to melt the ice, and Xu Hu went to fetch it.
• Shen San noticed that the yaksha and transformed Wang Shijie had been blinking repeatedly whenever the group discussed freeing Xiang Tianyu.

Shen San’s group questioned the frozen Xiang Tianyu and learned how the Dragon Palace plot, Bai Sang’s transformation, and the Duke of Wei’s actions had unfolded. When the Duke of Wei returned after killing the Earth Mother, his son begged General Xu to send troops to save the north, but Shen Laosan warned that they could not.

• Shen San stopped Xu Hu from releasing Xiang Tianyu until they learned why the Duke of Wei had frozen him, and Shen Er used the Ghost King's Arm to draw out Xiang’s soul with his consent.
• Xiang Tianyu explained that the Dragon Palace planned to use transformed creatures’ blood essence to revive its nobles, and that Wang Shijie had attacked and controlled Bai Sang after Bai Sang transformed into a Thousand-Footed Dragon.
• Xiang Tianyu said Wang Shijie had accused him of poisoning the Duke of Wei, so the Duke had frozen everyone because he could not tell who was lying.
• Xiang Tianyu urged Xu Hu to help the north, warning that the Earth Mother and countless earth snakes threatened the remaining survivors, while Xu Hu hesitated over leaving their lord without support.
• The Duke of Wei returned bloodied with the frozen head of the Earth Mother, and his son urged General Xu to send troops to rescue the northern people.
• Shen Laosan said they could not dispatch troops.

The Duke of Wei sacrificed his life to bless Jiangnan’s army with dragon blood and compel them to rescue the people of the north. As Xu Hu led the army north, Xiang Tianyu’s sealed body began to stir, while Chen Qing remained unable to respond to messages from the North Sea.

• Shen San refused Xu Hu’s request to send troops north, warning that the melting ice bridge could strand them and that they needed to remain ready to support their lord.
• The Duke of Wei spent his dragon blood creating a formation that covered the land in dark clouds and snow, then showered the Fighter Army with blood that strengthened and blessed them.
• Shen San realized the blessing would become poison if they refused to rescue the northern survivors, and Xu Hu accepted command of the mission.
• Xu Hu rallied the Fighter Army by declaring the northern people their compatriots, and the troops marched north in response.
• Xiang Tianyu’s soul watched the army depart as his body smiled inside its ice prison and the ice began to crack.
• Chen Qing avoided replying to Shen San and Xu Hu because using the Power of Faith could reveal his presence and leave him with no chance of survival.

Chen Qing weighed the North Sea crisis and the importance of rescuing its people while hiding with Murong Yunji in the West Sea Dragon Palace. Their wait for Yuchi’s Dragon Transformation was interrupted when a group of Ancient Insects entered the palace’s lowest level, apparently intending to claim its most precious bloodlines.

• Chen Qing learned that the Duke of Wei had become a dragon, frozen the North Sea, and sacrificed himself to force Xu Hu and others to rescue the people there.
• Chen Qing recognized that saving and relocating people was vital to the Divine Path Style, and hoped Xu Hu and Master Shen San could lead the northern refugees safely south.
• Murong Yunji asked how much longer Yuchi’s Dragon Transformation would take as the monsters gathered above and competed for dragon-transformed specimens.
• Chen Qing and Murong Yunji heard the palace door open and concealed themselves beside Yuchi’s equipment as several newcomers entered cautiously.
• The newcomers said they had controlled a dragon maiden with a gu poison art and planned to use a dragon-blood bath to transform using the third level’s most precious bloodlines.

Chen Qing encountered ancient spellcasters searching for the Purple Fetus and negotiated with them rather than fight. He offered to help them find it in exchange for the dragon maiden’s eyes, leaving their deal unresolved.

• Chen Qing and Murong overheard three ancient spellcasters searching for the Purple Fetus and carrying a dragon maiden’s eyes.
• After a disturbance broke out above, the spellcasters revealed that an outsider with yakshas was fighting upstairs and identified his bloodline as belonging to the Shen Family.
• Chen Qing stepped out of hiding and told the spellcasters that the outsider was his enemy, then claimed to be a disciple of Mr. Dongliu.
• The spellcasters reacted warily to the name Mr. Dongliu, and Chen Qing suggested they avoid confronting the enemy upstairs.
• Chen Qing offered to help the spellcasters find the Purple Fetus in exchange for the dragon maiden’s eyes.

Chen Qing bargained with three ancient creatures for the dragon maiden’s eyes, claiming he could help them find a Purple Fetus and suspecting the imperial palace faction was involved. As they began a Divine Fire Spell Contract, a trident struck from above and shattered their leader.

• Chen Qing faced the cricket-dragonfly monster and its companions, who accused him of wanting to protect the Dragon Transformation happening behind him.
• Chen Qing explained the rarity of Purple Fetuses and recounted how the Heavenly Python Snake Mother gave birth to Ghost King Xiang.
• The creatures agreed to give Chen Qing the dragon maiden’s eyes in exchange for his help finding the Purple Fetus, deepening his suspicion that the Xiao Household’s imperial faction was involved.
• Chen Qing insisted that they use his Divine Fire Spell Contract, and the three creatures accepted.
• A trident plunged from above and shattered the old spellcaster leading the group.

Chen Qing used his own blood to lure Shen Laoda away from the ancient sorcerers, then raced after the scattered Dragon Maiden’s Eyes while Shen Laoda pursued him. As Chen Qing reached his limit and his body began cracking, the chase continued and Murong Yunji remained hidden beside the apparatus below.

• Chen Qing used Xiao Mingyue’s Ancient Insect blood to draw Shen Laoda’s attention, and a yaksha pulverized the leading ancient sorcerer with a trident throw.
• Chen Qing retreated, then used the Divine Wind Spell and his remaining power of faith to race toward the scattered Dragon Maiden’s Eyes.
• Shen Laoda ordered three yakshas to slaughter the ancient sorcerers while he and another yaksha pursued Chen Qing.
• Two hidden streams of black water decided to chase Chen Qing, believing he might know clues about the Dragon Maiden’s Eyes.
• Murong Yunji stayed hidden beside the enormous apparatus and reflected on how much stronger Chen Qing and Shen Laoda were than her.
• Shen Laoda recognized Chen Qing’s lightning and Divine Wind Spell, predicted his body could not sustain them, and Chen Qing’s flesh began cracking and bleeding.

Chen Qing escaped Yaksha’s killing blow by using Nine Heavens Mirror Valley’s reversal ability, then rallied the ancient spellcasters to reactivate the array and trap three yakshas. Shen Laoda retreated but warned that the array also threatened dragon-blooded beings, including those in the Dragon Palace.

• Chen Qing endured his injuries until Yaksha struck him down, but Nine Heavens Mirror Valley reconstructed his body and returned him to Murong Yunji after about a quarter of an hour.
• Chen Qing told the spellcasters that they could survive by feeding their spell power into the Nine Heavens Mirror Valley array.
• The spellcasters joined forces to activate the array, and its mist swallowed the three pursuing yakshas.
• Shen Laoda recognized the array, ordered a retreat, and told his followers to keep refining blood so they could control a true dragon species.
• The Crown Prince of the West Sea tried to escape the mist, realized he was trapped, and cursed the woman who had created the array.

Ao Xin planned to break the Nine Heavens Mirror Valley formation after several people completed Dragon Transformation, while Chen Qing realized Ao Xin could collapse it even sooner. Chen Qing and Murong Yunji set out to kill Ao Xin so the formation could hold until Yuchi transformed.

• Ao Xin revealed that he had designed Ancient Insect and decided to keep the formation intact until some low-tier dragon species completed Dragon Transformation.
• Ao Xin judged that the best time to break the formation would be when the newly transformed dragon species were still weakened.
• Chen Qing explained to Murong Yunji that the transformed families would attack those without dragon species, while Shen Laoda would target him first.
• Chen Qing warned that Ao Xin's faction could break the formation before Yuchi completed Dragon Transformation.
• Chen Qing and Murong Yunji left to kill Ao Xin, and Chen Qing told her they had only one chance.

Chen Qing infiltrated Ao Xin’s hidden chamber and exposed the secret behind the Yakshas’ weakened bloodline, then tried to turn Yaksha against the Dragon Palace. Ao Xin bound Yaksha with Spirit Speech, forcing Chen Qing to flee as Murong Yunji’s ambush was frozen; her attack was still underway.

• Yaksha left to break the formation while Ao Xin waited for the Dragon Transformation and planned to capture dragon breeds.
• Chen Qing appeared inside Ao Xin’s secret chamber and claimed he had arranged for Ao Xin to design it.
• Chen Qing tried to kill Ao Xin, then told Yaksha the Dragon Palace had weakened his race and offered to free them.
• Ao Xin invoked Spirit Speech and granted Yaksha three secret keys, compelling him to attack Chen Qing.
• Chen Qing fled from Yaksha, while Murong Yunji’s azure-light attack struck Ao Xin’s prepared profound ice.

Chen Qing and Murong Yunji tricked Ao Xin into exposing his body, allowing Murong to destroy his internal organs and kill him. As Ao Xin died, he hinted that a bald man knew the same truth about the Buddha Kingdom, then refused to tell Chen Qing where to find him.

• Chen Qing explained that he could not break Ao Xin's profound-ice defense and planned to trick him into lowering it himself.
• Murong Yunji used a Divine Wind Spell afterimage to make Ao Xin reshape his ice and expose part of his body.
• Murong Yunji poured wind energy into Ao Xin's exposed flesh and destroyed his internal organs, leaving him to be pulled onto the Yin-Yang Road.
• Chen Qing told the dying Ao Xin that his plans to control the Buddha Kingdom had no chance of success.
• Ao Xin mentioned a bald man who had said the same thing, then refused to reveal where he was as Chen Qing demanded to know.

After learning that his old partner had been captured, studied, and eventually rescued, Chen Qing searched for clues about where he might be and what he had become. Meanwhile, Ziyue emerged from the dead Heaven-Devouring Dragon Whale and realized its enormous shadow was heading toward the West Sea, where Chen Qing was.

• Chen Qing angrily beat Ao Xin's corpse, then pressed Yaksha to explain the bald man Ao Xin had mentioned.
• Yaksha said the man had been taken to the Dragon Palace for research, then rescued by a human woman who sealed the Ancient Insect and took him away.
• Yaksha revealed that the man had agreed to return with the most perfect species and was bound by a Dragon Blood Contract, leaving Chen Qing to wonder whether he was still alive and among the four factions.
• Ziyue emerged unharmed from the dead Heaven-Devouring Dragon Whale and gathered its blood and flesh into a high-quality crystal.
• Ziyue watched an enormous shadow move toward the West Sea and wondered whether it was following Chen Qing and whether he had learned the West Sea's secret.

Shen Laoda realized the West Sea Crown Prince might be dead and feared Chen Qing could find him, while he waited for blood refinement to finish. The gigantic Heavenly Ghost Octopus arrived at the Dragon Palace, and Chen Qing recognized that it had tracked him there.

• Shen Laoda reasoned that the West Sea Crown Prince should have broken the formation and suspected he might be dead.
• Shen Laoda learned that blood refinement would take about six more hours and that Chen Qing was likely refining a dragon breed too.
• Shen Laoda and the yakshas sensed an enormous tide of blood and saw a shadow darken the Dragon Palace.
• The dragon-transformed creatures above the mist recognized the shadow as the Heavenly Ghost Octopus and began searching for escape.
• Chen Qing told Murong that the octopus had recovered by eating the Heavenly Dragon Palace's biological weapons and had come to find him.

Chen Qing proposed using Golden Crow Flame and dragon whale fragrant oil to stop the Heavenly Ghost Octopus, while probing the two spellcasters about their mission to find the Purple Fetus. As they considered cooperating, a second Dragon King Breed appeared above the West Sea, looking for fuel.

• Two spellcasters panicked after realizing Nine Heavens Mirror Valley had trapped them and the Heavenly Ghost Octopus threatened them.
• Chen Qing approached the spellcasters and persuaded them that fleeing would not save them if the octopus kept growing.
• Chen Qing suggested using Red Lotus Karmic Fire, and the spellcasters warned that it could destroy all life in the world.
• Chen Qing showed them two Golden Crow Flame jade pendants and proposed using dragon whale fragrant oil to fuel a plan against the octopus.
• A second Dragon King Breed appeared above the sea and spotted the enormous Heavenly Ghost Octopus.