Chapter Summaries

After the seven-day Dharma assembly, Zhou Wuji received the Pure Yang Lotus Crown from True Person Zhiyun for protection in the dangerous Nine Yin Underground Palace. He entered the secret realm and found it filled with Fourth Rank Yin Devils, which offered the Origin Profound Qi he needed to advance his cultivation.

• Monk Xinru accepted that Zhou Wuji’s growing influence made him too formidable to challenge, while cultivators from several sects helped keep order at the Dharma assembly.
• Li Yiyang and Leng Yiming praised Zhou Wuji’s skill at spreading the teachings as the seven-day Dharma assembly concluded.
• Zhou Wuji told True Person Zhiyun that he would enter the Nine Yin Underground Palace, and the abbot gave him the Pure Yang Lotus Crown to counter Yin Qi and filth.
• True Person Zhiyun warned Zhou Wuji to guard against trouble involving women, prompting Zhou Wuji to suspect that rivals at the main court might be plotting against him.
• Zhou Wuji tested the Pure Yang Lotus Crown, then entered the underground palace with Elder Zhixing’s guidance and left Heavenly Pivot Hall’s affairs in the elder’s hands.
• Zhou Wuji reached a vast hall where Fourth Rank Yin Devils attacked him, and he welcomed them as a source of Origin Profound Qi.

Zhou Wuji cleared Yin Devils in the Nine Yin Underground Palace, using their Origin Profound Qi to advance his cultivation by ten Form Heavens. After a Third Rank Yin Devil appeared and overwhelmed his defenses, he struck back with the Tianshu Sword and lightning, but the fight remained unresolved.

• Zhou Wuji killed the first wave of Yin Devils with the Tianshu Sword and explored the ancient underground palace.
• He tested his Law Techniques against successive waves of Yin Devils, then relied on the Seven Star Demon-Slaying Spirit Sword to kill them efficiently.
• After more than twenty days of hunting, Zhou Wuji used the collected Origin Profound Qi to break through ten Form Heavens and increase his total True Qi by ten thousand.
• A Third Rank Yin Devil emerged and forced Zhou Wuji to reinforce himself with three protective incantations as its Yin Qi crushed his defenses.
• Zhou Wuji attacked with the Tianji Profound Yang Sword Qi and Northern Dipper Heavenly Pivot Yin Thunder, blasting through the Yin Qi around him.

After killing a Third Rank Yin Devil, Zhou Wuji returned to the Upper Court, reunited with Wuming, and prepared for the New Year. During his secret ordination and talisman bestowal, he used the Big Dipper Star Eye to draw on the North Pole Heavenly Emperor’s wish power, but sensed an unexpected change.

• Zhou Wuji converted the Third Rank Yin Devil’s fate into Origin Profound Qi, opened his eleventh Form Heaven acupoint, and realized the Heavenly Puppet might be a First Rank Law Treasure or something even more unusual.
• Over the following days, Zhou Wuji fed Origin Profound Qi to the Five Spirit Pouch’s Yin Spirits and the Vanishing Shadow Yin Dragon Steed before leaving the Nine Yin Underground Palace on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month.
• Wuming welcomed Zhou Wuji back, and the two shared an affectionate reunion before Yang Tie Ying returned and interrupted them.
• Zhou Wuji delivered New Year gifts, and True Person Zhihua presided over the New Year celebration, where Zhou Wuji received court offerings and gifts.
• True Person Zhiyun secretly ordained Zhou Wuji and bestowed the Northern Dipper Xuanwu Divine Gang Scripture Talisman in the North Pole Heavenly Emperor Hall.
• As Zhou Wuji resonated with the Big Dipper Star Domain and drew on the statue’s gathered wish power, he sensed that something was not right.

During Zhou Wuji’s Fourth Rank talisman-bestowal ceremony, the North Pole Heavenly Emperor statue’s wish power transformed the Xiaoxiang Sword into a Heaven Tier sword with a Sword Spirit. Later, Zhou Wuji explored his new swordsmanship and discovered a dangerous way to stir the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment into its combat form.

• Zhou Wuji channeled the statue’s unusually powerful wish power into the Xiaoxiang Sword, advancing it from Divine Tier to Heaven Tier and turning its Sword Soul into a Sword Spirit.
• Zhou Wuji thanked True Person Zhiyun, True Person Zhihua, Zhiyuan, and Yizhen after his ceremony, and True Person Zhihua told him he could go to the main court in March or April.
• Zhou Wuji examined the Northern Pole Xuanwu Divine Gang Scripture Talisman and tested his Sword Spirit, discovering that he could channel Sword Intent and Law Techniques through objects such as a fly whisk.
• Zhou Wuji used his Sword Intent to stir the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment, which became a deep-blue nine-pointed star and began consuming his True Qi and Qi and Blood.
• Zhou Wuji severed the connection before the artifact launched, recognizing its nine-pointed star as its combat form and gaining a potential last-resort means of survival.

Zhou Wuji tested how his new Sword Spirit refined his Law Techniques, then used his calligraphy skills to create a cursive Thousand Character Classic for Princess Taihe. His quiet New Year ended with True Person Zhihua reporting that Lu Wuyuan had died.

• Zhou Wuji tested his Sword Spirit in the Army-Breaking Hall and found it made his Law Techniques more precise and penetrating.
• Zhou Wuji received Princess Taihe’s gifts and copied the Thousand Character Classic in Cursive Script to send back to her.
• Zhou Wuji spent the New Year at ease with Wuming and took her to see the lanterns in Jingyang City.
• True Person Zhihua arrived and told Zhou Wuji that Lu Wuyuan was dead, prompting Zhou Wuji to insist he had nothing to do with it.

After Lu Wuyuan was killed by a Devil Cultivator and Lu Zhijing’s revenge caused turmoil in Yunyang, True Person Zhihua sent Zhou Wuji to stabilize the Cloud Dragon Lower Court. Zhou arrived with Wuming and presented the abbot’s order, but Lu Zhijing refused to leave before the murderer was brought to justice.

• True Person Zhihua told Zhou Wuji that Lu Wuyuan had died while pursuing a Devil Cultivator and asked him to repair relations in Yunyang.
• Zhou Wuji requested that Daoist Yizhen accompany him, and True Person Zhihua agreed that Yizhen could temporarily take charge of the Cloud Dragon Lower Court afterward.
• Zhou Wuji set out with Daoist Yizhen, Wuming, and Yang Tie Ying, then rode ahead through the night with Wuming on the Vanishing Shadow Yin Dragon Steed.
• Zhou Wuji arrived at the Cloud Dragon Lower Court and mocked the guestmaster before going to the Heavenly Pivot Hall to meet Lu Zhijing and Daoist Zhihe.
• Zhou Wuji presented the abbot’s order appointing him to take charge, but Lu Zhijing rejected it and vowed to stay until Lu Wuyuan’s murderer was brought to justice.

Zhou Wuji enforced True Person Zhiyun’s order and persuaded Lu Zhijing to return to the Upper Court rather than continue acting recklessly in Yunyang. He then took charge of the Cloud Dragon Lower Court, where its officials agreed to cooperate with him.

• Zhou Wuji confronted Lu Zhijing with the abbot’s written order and resisted the Third Rank True Person’s Divine Sense with his Sword Intent.
• Zhou Wuji warned Lu Zhijing that his actions endangered the Lu Household and promised to investigate Lu Wuyuan’s death, convincing him to return to the Upper Court.
• Zhou Wuji gave Daoist Zhihe the abbot’s order to hand over the Lower Court’s affairs and return to the Upper Court.
• Daoist Zhihe summoned the Lower Court’s officials, announced Zhou Wuji’s authority, and watched them agree to cooperate.
• Zhou Wuji greeted Daoist Yiping with respect, and news of his arrival as the Lower Court’s new leader spread through Yunyang.

Daoist Yiding and Daoist Yixing feared Zhou Wuji’s authority, but learned how he had begun resolving the crisis in Yunyang. Zhou Wuji left the city praising his compassion and generosity, while Yixing remained afraid of what he might do to him.

• Daoist Yiding and Daoist Yixing discussed Zhou Wuji’s power and worried that he might punish them, while hoping he would need their connections to settle Yunyang’s troubles.
• Wuai reported that Prefect Wang Yan had smiled as he saw Zhou Wuji out of the prefectural yamen.
• Wuai said Zhou Wuji had publicly apologized to Jin Zhao on behalf of the Upper Court and exchanged notes for a hundred thousand taels of silver at Hengfeng Bank.
• Zhou Wuji took the silver to the docks, treated the injured laborers with the Rejuvenation Spirit Technique and medicinal pills, and paid compensation to the dead and injured workers’ families.
• Daoist Yiding and Daoist Yixing recognized that Zhou Wuji’s actions had improved the city’s view of the Lower Court, and Yixing privately feared Zhou Wuji’s schemes and methods.

Zhou Wuji arranged a vast Dharma assembly in Yunyang, using the Water Mirror Technique, scripture, music, and a display of celestial power to move the crowd and awe even the monks of Golden Leaf Temple. The assembly won the Lower Court countless new worshippers, while the Devil Cultivators who witnessed it feared Zhou Wuji’s growing influence.

• Zhou Wuji explained to Yang Tie Ying that his Dharma assembly would build the sect’s reputation by combining virtue with displays of power.
• Daoist Yixing donated fifty thousand taels of silver, and Zhou Wuji assigned him to organize the altar and crowd preparations at the western city docks.
• Zhang Yun and Jin Ying joined the enormous crowd gathered for Zhou Wuji’s Dharma assembly, where Xinjue and other monks from Golden Leaf Temple also watched.
• Zhou Wuji used the Water Mirror Technique, recited scriptures, and displayed seven stars casting down starlight, moving the worshippers and bringing the monks to their knees.
• Fang Yunzhen and other Devil Cultivators were shaken by Zhou Wuji’s display, and the next day the Lower Court gained countless worshippers as Yunyang praised True Person Hongde and the Northern Emperor.

Zhou Wuji used his assemblies to restore order in Yunyang and strengthen the Lower Court, then removed Daoist Yiding from his post. After discovering a hidden group of Devil Cultivators, Zhou Wuji tracked them to a meeting in eastern Yunyang and confronted them.

• Wang Yan asked Zhou Wuji to hold more assemblies, and the gatherings drew hundreds of thousands of believers to the Northern Emperor.
• Zhou Wuji accused Daoist Yiding of failing the Lower Court and sent him back to the Upper Court for the Enforcement Hall to deal with.
• Zhou Wuji used the Big Dipper Star Eye to find clusters of powerful life spiritual light in eastern Yunyang and suspected they belonged to Devil Cultivators.
• After the Devil Cultivators' life spiritual light vanished, Zhou Wuji armed himself and rode into the snow to investigate.
• Fang Yunzhen told her subordinates to continue hiding and wait for Zhou Wuji to leave Yunyang, but Zhou Wuji appeared outside their window and challenged them.

Zhou Wuji defeated Fang Yunzhen and her Yin Yang Dao followers, captured Fang Yunzhen, and learned what he could from the survivors. As he rode away from Yunyang, he sensed a Third Rank Devil Cultivator rapidly approaching.

• Fang Yunzhen used the Heavenly Mother Mirror to hide herself and her followers, but Zhou Wuji pierced the darkness with his Sword Intent and subdued them with the Golden Light Spirit Incantation.
• Fang Yunzhen fled toward the Cloud Dragon River, but Zhou Wuji struck her with Northern Dipper Heavenly Pivot Yin Thunder, sealed her, and took the Heavenly Mother Mirror.
• Zhou Wuji used the Heavenly Puppet Technique to bring Fang Yunzhen under his control and placed her in the Five Spirit Pouch.
• Zhou Wuji questioned a Fifth Rank Devil Cultivator, who revealed what he knew before succumbing to injuries from the golden light; Zhou Wuji then destroyed the remaining Devil Cultivators.
• As Zhou Wuji rode toward the Lower Court, he sensed a Third Rank Devil Cultivator approaching and saw the figure in the sky watching him.

Zuo Yurong pursued Zhou Wuji to recover Fang Yunzhen, but Zhou used her as a hostage to force a standoff on a mountain peak. After Zhou threw Fang Yunzhen over a cliff and fled, Zuo rescued her, only for Zhou to launch another attack from the nearby forest.

• Zuo Yurong sensed the Heavenly Mother Mirror had gone silent, realized Fang Yunzhen was in Zhou Wuji's hands, and pursued them.
• Zhou Wuji led Zuo Yurong away from the Cloud Dragon Lower Court and stopped at a cliff, holding Fang Yunzhen out as a hostage.
• Zuo Yurong tried to pressure Zhou Wuji into releasing Fang Yunzhen, but Zhou threw her over the cliff and fled on his horse.
• Zuo Yurong caught Fang Yunzhen with a giant hand of Profound Yin True Qi and carried her back toward the cliff.
• Zhou Wuji attacked Fang Yunzhen from the forest with a streak of lightning, and Zuo Yurong shattered it with a thunderous burst of yin-and-yang sound.

Zhou Wuji fought Zuo Yurong, a powerful third-rank Devil Cultivator, while protecting Fang Yunzhen, and gradually turned their clash into a coordinated ambush. The chapter ended as Zhou Wuji’s deep blue starlight attack reached Zuo Yurong, who realized he was finished.

• Zuo Yurong blocked Zhou Wuji’s Yang Brightness Divine Lightning with the Great Light Heavenly King Mirror and offered to spare him if he became his disciple.
• Zhou Wuji attacked with the Seven Stars Demon-Sealing Spirit Seal and a deep blue light sword, but Zuo Yurong countered with the Yin Yang Reverse Dao Scripture.
• Zuo Yurong struck with the Great Yin-Yang Hand, but Zhou Wuji used the Tianshu Sword and Demon-Slaying Sword Talisman to break through and charge at him.
• Fang Yunzhen attacked Zuo Yurong from behind as Zhou Wuji’s blue threads and Yang Brightness Divine Lightning pierced his defenses.
• Zuo Yurong’s Yin-Yang Reversal Scripture diverted most of the lightning into the Heavenly King Mirror, but Zhou Wuji sent a spinning point of deep blue starlight toward him.

Zhou Wuji used the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment to kill Zuo Yurong and Fang Yunzhen, then returned to the Cloud Dragon Lower Court and resumed his duties. After visiting the Hidden Dragon Temple with Wuming, he received a summons to the Northern Pole main court, where his candidacy as a True Disciple would be settled.

• Zhou Wuji's attack with the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment pierced Zuo Yurong and Fang Yunzhen, killing them but exhausting his strength.
• Zhou Wuji returned to the Cloud Dragon Lower Court, concealed his involvement, and concluded that the Book of Heavenly Punishment was powerful but dangerous to use.
• Wuming helped Zhou Wuji dress the next morning, and he resolved to keep advancing despite the world's growing turmoil.
• Zhou Wuji traveled with Wuming and Yang Tie Ying to the Hidden Dragon Temple, where he investigated the earth eye but decided not to risk entering its depths.
• Zhou Wuji returned to the Lower Court with Wuming and Yang Tie Ying, then received a letter from True Person Zhihua summoning him to the Northern Pole main court before March fifteenth.

Zhou Wuji and Yang Tie Ying traveled to Chuyang, where Yan Baoying of the Great River Association befriended Zhou Wuji and asked for his help. After reaching the Northern Pole Court, Zhou Wuji waited to be announced at Northern Pole Hall while a middle-aged Daoist ordered him and Yang Tie Ying seized.

• Zhou Wuji and Yang Tie Ying met Yan Baoying aboard a boat, and she told them about Chuyang, Canglang Lake’s water bandits, and the Northern Pole Court.
• Yan Baoying learned Zhou Wuji was True Person Hongde and invited him to her cabin, where she asked him to lend her a hand.
• Zhou Wuji and Yang Tie Ying disembarked and traveled to Purple Tenuity Peak, the Northern Pole Sect’s ancestral seat.
• A middle-aged Daoist accused Yang Tie Ying of acting suspiciously and ordered his disciples to take him and Zhou Wuji to the Discipline Hall.

Zhou Wuji met with Northern Pole Sect Master Zhou Xuan'an after handling a confrontation with Daoist Yifeng at Purple Tenuity Hall. Zhou Xuan'an named him a True Disciple Candidate, assigned him to Heavenly Pivot Hall, and agreed to let him exchange his merits for a secret method; Zhou Wuji chose the Myriad Phenomena Golden Wheel.

• Daoist Yifeng tried to seize Zhou Wuji and Yang Tie Ying, but backed down after learning Zhou Wuji was True Person Hongde.
• True Person Zhihua arrived and smoothed over the misunderstanding, then led Zhou Wuji to meet Sect Master Zhou Xuan'an.
• Zhou Xuan'an praised Zhou Wuji's character and service, named him a True Disciple Candidate, and assigned him to Heavenly Pivot Hall.
• True Person Zhihua asked Zhou Xuan'an to grant Zhou Wuji a True Disciple Secret Method, and Zhou Wuji offered to exchange his great merits for one.
• Zhou Wuji chose the Myriad Phenomena Golden Wheel as the secret method he wanted to learn.

Zhou Wuji received permission to learn the Northern Pole Sword and settled into a secluded residence at the Northern Pole Sect’s main compound. After hearing warnings about factional struggles and learning more about the Great River Association, he opened the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment and found a new entry for the sword.

• Zhou Xuan'an refused to teach Zhou Wuji the Myriad Phenomena Golden Wheel because he had not yet become a full Third Rank True Disciple, but approved his request to learn the Northern Pole Sword in exchange for his contribution.
• True Person Zhilin recorded Zhou Wuji’s request and transmitted the Northern Pole Sword Secret Method to him from a secured iron chest.
• True Person Zhihua warned Zhou Wuji about factional conflicts at the main compound, told him not to kill anyone, and explained that he could cultivate freely for six months before receiving duties.
• Zhou Wuji asked True Person Zhihua about Yan Baoying and the Great River Association, and learned that its strained relationship with the main compound had led Yan Baoying to seek help elsewhere.
• Zhou Wuji met True Person Zhiming, then moved into Fallen Blossoms Lodge with Yang Tie Ying’s help.
• That night, Zhou Wuji opened the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment and found a new entry for the Northern Pole Sword.

Zhou Wuji advanced his Northern Pole Sword and cultivation while settling into his courtyard, then decided to seek out Yan Baoying to test the sword against evil beings. Just as he prepared to leave, Yang Tie Ying announced that someone had come to visit him.

• Zhou Wuji used a six-tael, four-mace fate to raise the Northern Pole Sword to major accomplishment and discovered that Limitless Star Sword might complement the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment.
• Zhou Wuji sent Yang Tie Ying and Shangqi to gather supplies so they could cook in the courtyard, and the two returned without help from the halls.
• Over the following days, Shangqi and Yang Tie Ying furnished the courtyard while Zhou Wuji stayed in and admired the mountain scenery.
• Zhou Wuji refined his thirtieth spinal acupoint, measured his increased True Qi and Divine Sense, and decided to contact Yan Baoying about hunting evil beings.
• Yang Tie Ying told Zhou Wuji that a visitor had arrived just as Zhou Wuji was dressing to go out.

Su Wuyi visited Zhou Wuji to learn how his Rejuvenation Spirit Technique healed patients, then asked him to save her poisoned spirit monkey, Medicine Master. Zhou Wuji cured the monkey, and Su Wuyi offered him ten thousand taels of gold in gratitude, which he declined.

• Yang Tie Ying told Zhou Wuji that Su Wuyi of the Tianxuan Lineage had come to visit, and Zhou Wuji welcomed her.
• Su Wuyi praised Zhou Wuji’s calligraphy and asked how he used the Rejuvenation Spirit Technique to heal people.
• Zhou Wuji explained that he examined the root of an ailment with Divine Sense and directed the perfected technique at it.
• Su Wuyi showed Zhou Wuji her poisoned spirit monkey, Medicine Master, and asked him to save him.
• Zhou Wuji used the Rejuvenation Spirit Technique to purge Medicine Master’s poison and restore his vitality.
• Su Wuyi thanked Zhou Wuji and offered him ten thousand taels of gold, but he declined the gift.

Su Wuyi told Shui Wushang that Zhou Wuji had healed Medicine Master and gave him the Gold and Jade Pill Scripture, then proposed bringing him to the Thousand Spirits Mountain Secret Realm. After studying the scripture, Zhou Wuji went to Chuyang to buy herbs, where Yan Baoying asked him to subdue a demon at White Forest Bay.

• Su Wuyi visited Shui Wushang on Cangyan Terrace and told her that Zhou Wuji had cured Medicine Master's poisoning with the Rejuvenation Spirit Technique.
• Su Wuyi explained that she had given Zhou Wuji the Gold and Jade Pill Scripture and proposed taking him to the Thousand Spirits Mountain Secret Realm to help defeat the snake demon; Shui Wushang agreed.
• Zhou Wuji studied the Gold and Jade Pill Scripture, memorized it, and went to Chuyang to buy herbs for refining a Jade Liquid Pill.
• Yan Baoying welcomed Zhou Wuji at a medicine shop and asked him to subdue the evil entity harming people at White Forest Bay.
• Zhou Wuji agreed to deal with the demon, and Yan Baoying held his hand and flirted with him.