Recaps

After returning from Earth, Su Mu agreed to represent the Eldest Princess in a literary contest against scholars from the vassal states. He set out with Xiao Wu and Lin Hongbin for the open pavilion where the contest would take place.

• Su Mu stayed in a presidential suite on Earth, received news from Leizi that the surgery had succeeded, then returned to the Immortal Cultivation Realm the next day.
• Yu Guyue teased Su Mu about meditating every night, and he pulled her into his room; he emerged later looking pleased.
• Xiao Wu brought food from the Eldest Princess and told Su Mu he was expected to compete in the literary contest, warning him that the visiting scholars were exceptionally talented.
• Su Mu agreed to compete and spent the day searching obscure texts for information about the Dao Lotus while Lin Hongbin stayed close by.
• At the hour of Shen, Xiao Wu led Su Mu and Lin Hongbin out of the palace toward an open pavilion chosen so the contest would have many witnesses.

Su Mu arrived at a literary contest where scholars from the vassal states had been waiting to challenge Great Liang. He antagonized Deng Tianping and the other visitors immediately, leaving the contest poised for a bitter confrontation.

• Deng Tianping and the visiting scholars discussed Su Mu's expected appearance while Mingze and the other Great Liang scholars listened uneasily.
• Courtesans gathered in nearby rooms to watch and worried that Su Mu might be unprepared for the visitors' challenge.
• Duan Qi and the other scholars grew impatient as Su Mu kept them waiting, while Mingze feared Great Liang would be branded afraid to compete.
• Su Mu arrived with a palace maid, drawing the attention of the assembled crowd and the scholars.
• When Deng Tianping tried to introduce himself, Su Mu dismissed the need to learn any of the visitors' names, enraging Deng Tianping and impressing Mingze.

Su Mu entered the literary contest and began a poem that initially seemed to produce mediocre calligraphy, drawing ridicule from the foreign scholars. His final line transformed the work into a seven-inch piece, and Mingze recognized it as an unrivaled verse.

• Su Mu dismissed Duan Qi and the other scholars’ anger, then insisted they write after him.
• Su Mu began writing a poem as Righteous Qi formed a bamboo whose joints measured the calligraphy’s length.
• Su Mu’s first three lines raised the bamboo to just over three joints, prompting the scholars to mock his work.
• Su Mu wrote the final line, and the bamboo surged to seven inches.
• Mingze and the other scholars recognized Su Mu’s poem as an unrivaled verse, while Duan Qi and the foreign scholars looked dismayed.
• The eldest princess sensed the occurrence in the palace and smiled faintly.

Su Mu won the calligraphy contest with a seven-inch work, prompting the visiting scholars to concede. After returning to the courtyard, he learned that Moon Pursuing the Sun would strengthen the Demon Race and suppress Righteous Qi, threatening Great Liang and its vassal states.

• Su Mu completed a seven-inch calligraphy work, and the visiting scholars were unable to match it.
• Mingze and the other scholars toasted Su Mu, while Duan Qi and his companions eventually conceded.
• Su Mu put away his calligraphy and returned to the courtyard, where Yu Guyue had recovered from regulating her breathing.
• Yu Guyue explained that Moon Pursuing the Sun would boost Demon Power and suppress Righteous Qi, potentially driving undisciplined demons into a frenzy.
• Su Mu realized the phenomenon could leave towns and villages vulnerable, as scholars in the imperial capital gathered urgently and hurried away.

As Moon Pursuing the Sun threatened Great Liang, the court prepared to suppress demons and sent the eldest princess to guard the Wasteland of Withered Bones. Su Mu agreed to accompany her, and Yu Guyue also offered help, leaving the eldest princess irritated when Su Mu gave her his calligraphy because she was stronger.

• The vassal states recalled their talented scholars as Great Liang prepared for the dangers of Moon Pursuing the Sun.
• The Emperor of Liang issued an imperial edict to Li An to suppress the myriad demons and assigned the eldest princess to guard the Wasteland of Withered Bones.
• The eldest princess told Su Mu about the assignment, and he agreed to accompany her.
• Yu Guyue said she would help suppress the Wasteland of Withered Bones after putting the Demon Race under her command in line.
• Su Mu gave the eldest princess his calligraphy, explaining that she was stronger, which pleased Yu Guyue and annoyed the eldest princess.

Su Mu contacted Zhou Jianhua through a dedicated operator line and arranged to leave for his overseas trip at seven that evening. After setting off with the eldest princess and Yu Guyue aboard a flying boat, he returned to Earth and headed to the airport.

• The eldest princess kept Su Mu's calligraphy despite leaving in anger, then went to prepare for the journey to the Wasteland of Withered Bones.
• Su Mu called Zhou Jianhua, but when his phone was off, he used the dedicated line and asked its operator to contact him.
• A Security Bureau member interrupted Zhou Jianhua's confidential meeting to report Su Mu's call, and Zhou Jianhua called Su Mu back.
• Su Mu and Zhou Jianhua agreed that Su Mu would leave at seven that evening, with Zhou Jianhua arranging his flight and travel documents.
• The eldest princess, Yu Guyue, Su Mu, and their companion set off aboard the flying boat, while Su Mu went inside to meditate.
• Su Mu returned to Earth and rode to the airport, where an accompanying staff member showed him his documents and travel equipment.

Su Mu began a covert operation abroad, using his invisibility and storage ring to steal a restricted machine tool and other planned targets. After the first theft made the news, he continued toward the remaining locations while Zhou Jianhua celebrated the operation’s success and anticipated Huaxia’s lunar landing program.

• A staff member briefed Su Mu on his itinerary and equipment before he flew to his first destination and checked into a hotel.
• Su Mu secretly met two operatives, disabled a factory’s cameras, and stole a newly delivered machine tool.
• Zhou Jianhua heard the theft had gone smoothly and celebrated, thinking of Huaxia’s development plans and January lunar landing program.
• The factory discovered the machine tool was missing, and investigators suspected the staff because the exterior cameras had recorded no truck.
• Su Mu visited the remaining two locations that night and stole the contents of shipping containers before leaving them locked.

Investigators failed to explain a string of thefts involving embargoed equipment, while Su Mu returned to Huaxia and delivered the stolen machines to Zhou Jianhua at a secret facility. Zhou Jianhua celebrated acquiring the equipment and predicted Huaxia would eventually surpass foreign manufacturers.

• A furious official ordered investigators to keep searching after they rejected the theory that Huaxia had stolen the equipment, since it could not be shipped through customs unnoticed.
• Su Mu flew home after completing his operation abroad and reflected on how much he loved Huaxia.
• A car took Su Mu to a heavily guarded secret facility, where Zhou Jianhua welcomed him.
• Su Mu brought the stolen machine tools and instruments out of his storage ring in an open space at the facility.
• Zhou Jianhua admired the new equipment, and Su Mu said Huaxia would eventually make better machines and sell them to foreign buyers.

Su Mu and the eldest princess reached the Wasteland of Withered Bones as Moon Pursuing the Sun threatened to strengthen its yin baleful power. After seeing the seal under pressure, Su Mu settled in the guarding city and received a request from local scholars to meet him.

• Su Mu returned to the Immortal Cultivation Realm and boarded a flying boat with the eldest princess and Lin Hongbin, bound for the Wasteland of Withered Bones.
• The eldest princess let Su Mu see how Moon Pursuing the Sun had transformed the land, where yin baleful power suppressed Righteous Qi and the Wasteland lay buried in darkness.
• The eldest princess brought out Su Mu's calligraphy, provoking a surge of yin baleful power from the Wasteland, and Yu Guyue urged her to put it away.
• The group reached the city guarding the Wasteland, where Yu Guyue explained that monks and scholars continually reinforced the Buddhist seal and wore down the yin baleful power.
• The eldest princess left to discuss the threat with the local prefect, while Su Mu and Yu Guyue found lodging; Lin Hongbin then told Su Mu that local scholars wanted to meet him.

Su Mu learned that the Wasteland of Withered Bones’ seal was threatened by restless ghosts and agreed to help defend it, then prepared to copy Buddhist scriptures unknown in this world. As Ancestor Wuwang drove the ghosts into attacking the seal, the eldest princess and the defenders prepared for battle, but Yin fire overwhelmed the scholars’ calligraphy.

• Liu Yuanfeng and the scholars told Su Mu that the ghosts remained inside the Wasteland of Withered Bones for its dense Yin Baleful Qi, but Moon Pursuing the Sun could make them go berserk and break the seal.
• Su Mu agreed to help guard the seal and learned from Lin Hongbin that the Buddhist scriptures he knew from Earth were unknown in this world.
• Ancestor Wuwang stirred the ghosts into attacking the seal, while scholars, monks, and cultivators rushed to defend it.
• The eldest princess arrived and ordered the defenders to prepare for battle as ghosts of many forms emerged within the Wasteland of Withered Bones.
• The monks strengthened the seal with Buddhist scriptures and the scholars attacked with calligraphy swords, but ghastly green Yin fire swallowed the swords and turned their calligraphy to ash.

As the Nine Nether Extreme Flame and endless monsters and fiends threatened the seal, the eldest princess and Yu Guyue struggled to hold the Wasteland of Withered Bones back. Just as the defenders neared collapse, a brilliant golden light erupted behind them and Buddhist temples began to shine.

• A bone giant struck the seal with the Nine Nether Extreme Flame, weakening it and injuring the monks who sustained it.
• The eldest princess summoned a Vermilion Bird formed from a refined feather, which burned away Yin Baleful Qi and many monsters and fiends.
• Ancestor Wuwang stayed hidden and let the creatures keep attacking, while the eldest princess called for Yu Guyue to fight beside her.
• The eldest princess used Su Mu's calligraphy to summon a seven-jointed bamboo that swept monsters aside, but the defenders' strength dwindled and she recalled the fading Vermilion Bird.
• As the seal lost its golden light and the defenders despaired, brilliant light shone from behind them and Buddha statues throughout the temples began radiating Buddhist light.

Su Mu used the Diamond Prajnaparamita Sutra to help the monks reinforce the seal and repel the fiends, awakening a Buddha Lotus and an unknown purple-gold lotus within his sea of consciousness. He left with Yu Guyue and the eldest princess, while Ancestor Wuwang vowed to try again in three days and the women pressed Su Mu for an explanation.

• Su Mu brought the monks the Diamond Prajnaparamita Sutra, and their chanting sent golden Sanskrit characters onto the seal, destroying approaching fiends.
• As the sutra spread, a Buddha Lotus appeared in Su Mu's sea of consciousness and opened one petal, while a purple-gold lotus formed beside it.
• The monks thanked Su Mu and Master Wuren invited him to join the Buddhist order, but Yu Guyue objected and Su Mu declined.
• Ancestor Wuwang watched the Buddhist characters disappear and vowed that Su Mu would not stop Moon Pursuing the Sun three days later.
• Su Mu returned to the courtyard and saw Liu Yuanfeng and the other scholars off before the eldest princess asked him what the sutra was about.

Su Mu learned that his Buddhist scripture had increased Buddhist Fortune, then revealed a Buddha Lotus that Yu Guyue found dangerous because she was a demon. Lin Hongbin returned with local food and wine, while the Eldest Princess and Yu Guyue discussed his unusual pursuit of perfect Foundation Establishment.

• Yu Guyue and the Eldest Princess told Su Mu that his Buddhist scripture had increased the Buddhist path's Fortune, so they did not believe it was an old scripture from his hometown.
• Su Mu revealed his Buddha Lotus, and Yu Guyue recoiled before explaining that Buddhist teachings naturally countered demons and other uncanny beings.
• Su Mu, Yu Guyue, and the Eldest Princess examined the lotus, but Su Mu could neither grasp it nor determine how to use it.
• Lin Hongbin returned with local wine and snacks for Su Mu, who eagerly accepted the offering.
• The Eldest Princess learned that Lin Hongbin was seeking enlightenment to achieve perfect Foundation Establishment and recognized his unusually pure, compressed cultivation, though she could not identify what he lacked.
• Su Mu enjoyed the local food and spirit wine while Lin Hongbin watched, pleased that his offering had won Su Mu's favor.

Su Mu watched the Moon Pursuing the Sun weaken the seal around the Wasteland of Withered Bones as Yin Baleful Qi surged toward it. He realized that Mid-Autumn works of calligraphy could draw strength from the moon, and considered using his own to help.

• Su Mu woke at noon and learned from Lin Hongbin that the seal was stable, the evil entities had retreated, and the monks had advanced after studying the Buddhist scripture.
• Su Mu asked the monks whether the seal would hold for two more days, but they could not guarantee it, and the eldest princess warned that something seemed wrong inside the Wasteland of Withered Bones.
• The moon moved in front of the sun, suppressing the land's Righteous Qi as Yin Baleful Qi seethed and struck the seal, stripping away its Sanskrit characters.
• The monks recited scripture to reinforce the seal while Liu Yuanfeng and others brought out calligraphy that drew on the moonlight and strengthened their Righteous Qi.
• The eldest princess explained that Mid-Autumn poems were not suppressed because they used the moon as their medium, and Su Mu considered using his own calligraphy to help.

As the Grand Yin strengthened the demons and weakened the seal, Su Mu summoned the Lord of the Grand Yin with his calligraphy just as the defenders were about to abandon the Wasteland of Withered Bones. The Lord appeared before Su Mu, leaving the fate of the crumbling seal unresolved.

• Ancestor Wuwang urged the demons and spirits in the Wasteland of Withered Bones to attack the weakened seal as demon forces assaulted human territory.
• Su Mu wrote a line of calligraphy while the eldest princess and Yu Guyue prepared to confront several Nascent Soul presences.
• Yu Guyue sent her Yin-Yang Bracelets into the wasteland, but Nine Nether Extreme Flame tainted and ruined them, while the eldest princess's lightning technique also proved weakened.
• Unknown Nascent Soul attackers struck the seal with repeated palm prints as its Sanskrit characters, the eminent monks, and the scholars' calligraphy began to fail.
• Yu Guyue tried to take Su Mu away, but his Righteous Qi rose toward the Grand Yin and summoned its lord.
• The Lord of the Grand Yin appeared before Su Mu and confirmed his identity.

The Moon God guided Su Mu in using the Dao Lotus and Buddha Lotus to suppress the evil entities and reinforce the failing seal. She then revealed that the Purple-Gold Merit Lotus could repair the Dao Lotus, but Su Mu caught her absorbing some of its merit.

• Su Mu asked the Moon God to suppress the evil entities, but she said she was only a lingering image without Law Power and could not act directly.
• The Moon God told Su Mu to use the Dao Lotus against the evil entities and the Buddha Lotus to strengthen the seal.
• The Moon God directed both lotuses, and they drove away the Yin Baleful Qi and made the seal solid again before returning to Su Mu's palm.
• The Moon God told Su Mu that merit from the Purple-Gold Lotus could mend the missing Dao Lotus petal.
• Su Mu summoned the Purple-Gold Lotus and caught the Moon God absorbing its merit, so she stopped and claimed a share for helping suppress the evil entities.

The Moon God repaired Su Mu’s Dao Lotus with his Purple-Gold Merit Lotus, then left him guidance about cultivating the Dao and Buddha Lotuses. Su Mu discovered that the repair had consumed two petals of his merit, while Ancestor Wuwang watched from hiding and seethed over Su Mu’s interference.

• The Moon God used her five-petaled Purple-Gold Merit Lotus to restore the Dao Lotus before the Lesser Yang returned to its position.
• Before departing, the Moon God praised Su Mu’s poem, took his calligraphy, promised to return next Mid-Autumn Festival, and left him information about cultivating the Dao and Buddha Lotuses.
• Su Mu learned that the Buddha Lotus required spreading teachings that recipients understood, while the Dao Lotus seemed to require comprehending the Dao.
• Yu Guyue checked that the Moon God had not bewitched Su Mu, and Su Mu then saw that repairing one Dao Lotus petal had cost two petals of the Merit Lotus.
• Ancestor Wuwang watched Su Mu’s restored Dao Lotus from hiding and raged that Su Mu kept thwarting him.

After returning to the imperial capital, Su Mu began preparing a portable Teleportation Array for the upcoming moon landing while Wei Zhonghao arranged astronaut training. The chapter ended with a small meteorite speeding past Earth’s asteroid warning system.

• Su Mu repaired the Dao Lotus, which consumed two petals of the Merit Lotus, and discussed how the Moon God's appearance could not be remembered.
• The eldest princess and Yu Guyue left after returning to the imperial capital, while Su Mu decided to prepare a Teleportation Array for the moon landing.
• Su Mu dismantled and reassembled the Teleportation Array, then told Wei Zhonghao he could take it in two days for astronaut training.
• The Spirit of the Dragon Vein visited Su Mu and flew away with spirit spring water.
• A tiny meteorite sped past Earth's asteroid warning system.

Su Mu completed a backup Teleportation Array and returned to the Immortal Cultivation Realm, where he refused requests to help people transcend their tribulations. After an accidental lesson with a bucket of water, Lin Hongbin believed he had understood how to achieve perfect Foundation Establishment, and his insight opened a petal of Su Mu’s Dao Lotus.

• Su Mu tested Wei Zhonghao assembling the array, gave him the finished array, a spare, and extra Spirit Stones, and agreed to inspect them before the lunar landing project.
• Wei Zhonghao conveyed the higher-ups’ request that Su Mu keep his cultivation methods to himself, and Su Mu agreed.
• After returning to the Immortal Cultivation Realm, Su Mu told Xiao Wu to turn away visitors seeking help with their tribulations and decided to look for other Daoist scriptures to cultivate his Dao Lotus.
• Su Mu asked Lin Hongbin for a bucket of water, then spilled some while lifting it; Lin Hongbin interpreted the sloshing water and Su Mu’s earlier remarks as guidance about flaws and decline.
• Lin Hongbin thanked Su Mu, said he now knew how to achieve perfect Foundation Establishment, and left to pursue it.
• Su Mu realized Lin Hongbin’s understanding had opened a petal of his Dao Lotus and credited the gain to Lin Hongbin’s faith in his guidance.

Su Mu watched Lin Hongbin leave after gaining insight, then helped the Spirit of the Dragon Vein stop a meteorite threatening the region. The meteorite’s impact risk was averted when the spirit pierced it with a Spiritual Power arrow.

• Su Mu told Xiao Wu that Lin Hongbin had gained insight before leaving, and Xiao Wu praised his comprehension.
• A meteorite entered Earth’s atmosphere, triggering warnings and panic as officials struggled to find a way to intercept it.
• Huaxia leaders learned the meteorite was expected to strike the sea east of the country and considered whether Su Mu or the Dragon Vein could help.
• The Spirit of the Dragon Vein alerted Su Mu to the meteorite and asked him to help destroy it before it landed.
• Su Mu poured Spiritual Power into the Spirit of the Dragon Vein, which formed a crystalline arrow and pierced the meteorite.

Huaxia destroyed the meteorite with a mysterious, arrow-like projectile, astonishing people and alarming officials in Japan and Korea. The Korean officials were left questioning whether the footage was real and what kind of weapon Huaxia had used.

• People in Huaxia filmed and livestreamed as a projectile shot out of the earth and shattered the meteorite.
• Japanese officials learned that Huaxia had destroyed the meteorite and watched footage of the interception.
• The Japanese officials worried that Huaxia might now possess weapons they could not counter and ordered an investigation.
• Korean officials watched footage from several angles and asked a technician to enlarge the projectile.
• The enlarged image showed an arrow-like object with a crystalline gleam, prompting the Koreans to compare it to Hou Yi and question whether the video was genuine.

After the Spirit of the Dragon Vein helped Su Mu destroy the meteorite with a crystalline arrow, the unusual weapon caused an uproar across Huaxia and abroad. Su Mu left Zhou Jianhua to handle the public explanation and asked his dedicated operator to arrange chefs and food.

• Huaxia's netizens watched footage revealing that a crystalline-looking arrow had shattered the meteorite and speculated that a powerful archer had appeared.
• The Spirit of the Dragon Vein drained the spirit spring after the strike, while Su Mu told it he had no treasures left to replenish it.
• Zhou Jianhua called Su Mu to confirm he had stopped the meteorite and complained that the arrow had stirred up a public frenzy.
• Su Mu told Zhou Jianhua that the Spirit of the Dragon Vein had acted in an emergency and left the explanation to the authorities.
• Finding his refrigerator empty, Su Mu asked his dedicated operator to arrange chefs and food in the Qinling Mountains.
• The news spokesperson saw the online discussions and looked troubled by the public reaction.

At a press conference, Huaxia refused to explain what had shot down the meteorite and announced its crewed lunar landing project, codenamed Flying Apsaras. In the Qinling Mountains, Su Mu chose a basic Daoist scripture to study, then tested his newly forged flying sword and discovered his Spiritual Power drained rapidly.

• The spokesman said Huaxia had shot down the meteorite but would not reveal the weapon because it was a state secret.
• The spokesman announced that Huaxia would officially launch its crewed lunar landing project, Flying Apsaras, on January 3.
• Su Mu chose a basic Daoist scripture to copy into the Immortal Cultivation Realm and planned to contemplate it.
• Xiao Wu told Su Mu that his Law Treasure was ready and brought him the flying sword.
• Su Mu flew on the sword with Xiao Wu, but hurried back when his limited Spiritual Power began running out.

Su Mu agreed to help Great Liang expand its territory in exchange for a share of the resources discovered there, then returned to studying flying-sword methods. Meanwhile, Lin Hongbin survived a Heavenly Tribulation and achieved Perfect Foundation Establishment.

• Su Mu tested flying on his sword, then struggled to escape the crowd of cultivators and lesser demons seeking his guidance.
• Su Mu returned to the courtyard and began searching for a method to nurture his flying sword.
• The eldest princess asked Su Mu to use his calligraphy to help Great Liang expand its territory, and he agreed after securing a share of the spoils.
• The eldest princess left to coordinate the expansion, which would bring Great Liang into conflict with demons in the wilderness and seas.
• Lin Hongbin faced a Heavenly Tribulation while at Qi Refining, using Law Artifacts to withstand its lightning.
• Lin Hongbin advanced to Foundation Establishment and achieved Perfect Foundation Establishment as the tribulation repaired his cultivation flaw.

Su Mu helped Wang Peng prepare to sell the spirit-spring-grown fruit, then joined the eldest princess and Yu Guyue to prepare for Great Liang’s territorial expansion. After reaching Zhen'an City, they learned about dangerous Demon Beasts and insect swarms in the Savage Wilderness as the army’s arrival approached.

• Su Mu introduced Wang Peng to potential buyers, arranged the fruit business, and reassured him that powerful allies would prevent anyone from forcing them out.
• Su Mu discovered that the Dao Lotus had taken his flying sword and was nurturing it, then left with the eldest princess and Xiao He to scout ahead of Great Liang’s army.
• While studying the Dao Scripture on the way, Su Mu saw a Dao Lotus petal stir and later secured the eldest princess’s promise that he could claim land in the newly opened territory.
• Su Mu, the eldest princess, and Yu Guyue met up and traveled to Zhen'an City, where cultivators were gathering to profit from Great Liang’s coming campaign.
• Su Mu heard cultivators discussing plans to exploit the aftermath of the army’s advance, while Yu Guyue reported dangerous venomous bees, Iron-Devouring Ants, and Cold-Winged Golden Butterflies near the Savage Wilderness.