Chapter Summaries

Kong Wenxuan fought off an overwhelming encirclement by using the Peacock True Spirit’s illusion and his Lesser Five Elements Sword Formation to kill the Demon Race and Demon Beasts attacking him. He then used the Peacock County Magistrate’s Official Seal to control the sea of fire, trapping and destroying the remaining enemies before reinforcements could reach them.

• Eighteen Fourth Tier enemies, including a flying boat, a Gonggong War Chariot, formations, Demon Beasts, and martial cultivators, surrounded Kong Wenxuan and battered his Lesser Five Elements Sword Formation.
• Kong Wenxuan called upon the Peacock True Spirit Star and used the Soul-Bewitching Illusion Technique to daze six unintelligent Fourth Tier Demon Beasts, briefly stabilizing his formation.
• Kong Wenxuan expanded his sword formation, killed three Fourth Tier members of the Demon Race, then drew in and slew the six Demon Beasts after they broke free of the illusion.
• Kong Wenxuan summoned the Peacock County Magistrate’s Official Seal and controlled the nearby sea of fire, cutting off the remaining enemies’ escape routes.
• Kong Wenxuan destroyed the Demon Race flying boat, Gonggong War Chariot, Ten Thousand Demons Formation, and True Martial Battle Formation, killing the enemies within before they could be rescued.

Kong Wenxuan used the sea of fire and his county magistrate's official seal to strengthen his sword formation, then destroyed the five-colored giant formed by five Fourth Tier Five Elements martial cultivators. As he nearly finished off the survivors, a Dijiang martial cultivator tore open the formation and two enemies escaped.

• Kong Wenxuan used the Lesser Five Elements Sword Formation to kill most of the Fourth Tier enemies surrounding him.
• The five Fourth Tier Five Elements martial cultivators joined forces and formed a True Martial manifestation of a five-colored giant.
• Kong Wenxuan merged his official seal with the sword formation, drawing power from the sea of fire to withstand the giant's attack and trap it inside.
• Kong Wenxuan's flame sword formation shattered the five-colored giant and killed three of the five martial cultivators after their battle formation broke.
• A Dijiang martial cultivator tore through the flame sword formation, allowing the Gonggong martial cultivator and the Houtu martial cultivator to escape.

Kong Wenxuan struggled to defend himself against a Fourth Tier Dijiang martial cultivator who attacked through spatial rifts and remained hidden in space. With Bi Qingqing’s help, he used the sea of fire to expose and constrain the enemy, then killed him with his sword formation.

• The Fourth Tier Dijiang martial cultivator tore apart Kong Wenxuan’s Flame Sword Formation and attacked him with spatial rifts from changing positions.
• Kong Wenxuan repaired and maintained his sword formation under attack but could neither locate his opponent nor safely counterattack.
• Kong Wenxuan asked True Person Bi Qingqing to send him power from the sea of fire.
• Bi Qingqing mobilized the sea of fire, which warped the surrounding space and forced the Dijiang martial cultivator to reveal himself.
• Kong Wenxuan expanded his sword formation, broke through the Dijiang martial cultivator’s spatial defenses, and killed him.

After Kong Wenxuan slew a Fourth-Tier Dijiang martial cultivator, a Fifth-Tier Gonggong martial cultivator attacked him, but Bi Qingqing and the Bifang True Spirit Star helped protect him. With the threat halted and True Lord Bi Zongcheng gravely injuring the Gonggong cultivator, Kong Wenxuan unleashed his Flame Sword Formation and resumed killing Fourth-Tier enemies.

• Kong Wenxuan and Bi Qingqing slew the Fourth-Tier Dijiang martial cultivator on the sea of fire battlefield.
• A Fifth-Tier Gonggong martial cultivator sent a torrent of floodwaters down at Kong Wenxuan, and Bi Qingqing used the sea of fire to resist it.
• The Bifang True Spirit Star shielded Kong Wenxuan with three-colored starlight, stopping the floodwaters and letting him put away his Space-Breaking Talisman.
• True Lord Bi Zongcheng seized the Gonggong martial cultivator's distraction to gravely injure him.
• Kong Wenxuan used his Flame Sword Formation to slay fleeing Fourth-Tier Gonggong and Houtu martial cultivators, then continued attacking enemies across the battlefield.

Kong Wenxuan’s victories across the sea-of-fire battlefield weakened the Demon-Summoning Banner’s projection, allowing the Bifang True Spirit Star to suppress the Fifth Tier black flood dragon demon. The Bi Household’s female Nascent Soul cultivator defeated and killed him, leaving a Dao transformation phenomenon above the battlefield.

• Kong Wenxuan slew Fourth Tier enemies and destroyed enemy formations, vehicles, and flying boats, turning the battlefield’s advantage toward Bifang Commandery.
• Kong Wenxuan and the bloodline cultivators following him killed many demons and Demon Beasts, weakening the Demon-Summoning Banner’s projection.
• The Bifang True Spirit Star’s power reached the Fifth Tier black flood dragon demon, weakening his River Domain against the Bi Household’s female Nascent Soul cultivator’s Calamity Fire Domain.
• The Bi Household’s female Nascent Soul cultivator shattered the demon’s River Domain, bound him with her long silk ribbon Spirit Treasure, and struck his head with a Bifang-powered attack.
• The female Nascent Soul cultivator’s Calamity Fire destroyed the black flood dragon demon’s demon dwelling and demon embryo, killing him and producing a Dao transformation phenomenon.

After the fifth-tier black flood dragon demon fell, the remaining fifth-tier Gonggong martial cultivator tried to escape through the rift to the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven. True Lord Bi Zongcheng and the Bi Household’s female Nascent Soul True Lord cornered and killed him, leaving a second Dao-transformation phenomenon on the battlefield.

• The fifth-tier Gonggong martial cultivator detonated his great flood domain and Gonggong True Martial image to break through the sea of fire and flee toward the rift.
• The Bi Household’s female Nascent Soul True Lord sent her Bifang Dharma Idol to block the rift, but the cultivator’s desperate spear strike grievously wounded it and forced her to retreat.
• True Lord Bi Zongcheng caught up and used his Bifang Dharma Idol to trap the Gonggong martial cultivator in a Calamity Fire Domain.
• The Gonggong martial cultivator transformed into Gonggong True Martial and fought True Lord Bi Zongcheng, while the female Nascent Soul True Lord joined the attack.
• True Lord Bi Zongcheng blasted apart the Gonggong True Martial body and killed the fifth-tier Gonggong martial cultivator, triggering a second Dao-transformation phenomenon.

After the two Fifth Tier enemies fell, the Bi Household sealed the rift and helped the allied households defeat the remaining invaders. Kong Wenxuan rejoined the Kong Household and learned that Sixteenth Uncle Kong Yuqin had died defending Demon-Suppressing Pass.

• The Bifang True Spirit and the Celestial Stars True Spirit Diagram suppressed the rift and seized the Demon-Summoning Banner projection.
• True Lord Bi Zongcheng used Tricolor Calamity Fire to kill the remaining Fourth Tier enemies.
• True Person Bi Yanhong led the counterattack, and the cultivators of the various households charged onto the battlefield.
• The two Bi Household True Lords strengthened the seal on the rift while Kong Wenxuan returned to his household's contingent.
• Kong Wenxuan learned that Kong Yuqin had died and saw that the Kong Household and the other contingents had suffered heavy casualties.

After the battle at the Mystic Crane Secret Realm, Kong Wenxuan claimed first place in battle merit and exchanged all his rewards for time in the Bi Household’s secluded cultivation ground. There, he advanced the Crimson Fire Divine Sword to a Fourth Tier Law Treasure, giving him two Fourth Tier swords among his Five Elements Divine Swords.

• The Bi Household sealed and suppressed the rift to the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven, leaving it under their control while postponing any counterattack until the Golden Crow Imperial Dynasty could act.
• Kong Wenxuan had his battle merit tallied and ranked first among the participants, ahead of the Bi Household’s Golden Core True Persons.
• Kong Wenxuan exchanged all his merit for cultivation time in the pseudo-innate secluded cultivation ground, saving the excess time for other members of his Lineage.
• Five days later, the Bi Household held a victory celebration, compensated the dead and wounded, and ended the conscription order.
• Kong Wenxuan used the secluded cultivation ground to refine the final Nirvana Spirit Fire and Fire Sha Qi into the Crimson Fire Divine Sword, advancing it to a Fourth Tier Law Treasure.

After completing his cultivation and advancing the Crimson Fire Divine Sword, Kong Wenxuan arranged for his eldest uncle, Kong Yushuo, to use the array’s cultivation site and pursue the Golden Core Stage. He returned to Peacock County and saw the newly elevated Shrike Lao Household consolidating its control of Shrike County.

• Kong Wenxuan returned to Demon-Suppressing Pass with the advanced Crimson Fire Divine Sword and thanked Bi Qingqing for guarding the Mystic Crane Secret Realm.
• Kong Wenxuan urged Kong Yushuo to cultivate in the grand array’s core site so he could advance to the Golden Core Stage and strengthen the Kong Household.
• Kong Wenxuan escorted Kong Yushuo into the core array eye and asked Bi Qingqing to look after him.
• Kong Wenxuan flew toward Peacock County on the Crimson Fire Divine Sword, whose speed had increased after its advancement.
• Kong Wenxuan saw the Shrike Lao Household leading search parties through Shrike County, which it had received after reaching Ninth-Grade True Spirit Lineage status.

After the war, Kong Wenxuan returned to the Kong Household and learned how it planned to reward its servant cultivator Lineages and cultivate future subordinate bloodline Lineages. He spent half a year with his family and the Household before resuming secluded cultivation to prepare for a possible counteroffensive.

• Kong Wenxuan returned to the Peacock County Seat and learned that the Kong Household had rewarded and compensated its servant cultivator Lineages for their wartime service and losses.
• Kong Wenxuan met with Patriarch Kong Changgeng and the others, discussed the rewards and preparations for a possible counteroffensive, and told them about the Mystic Crane Secret Realm and his eldest uncle's secluded cultivation.
• Kong Wenxuan spent time with his parents, paid respects to fallen Household members, and guided young cultivators and newcomers in sword cultivation.
• After half a year of attending to family and Household affairs, Kong Wenxuan returned to the Peacock Secret Realm to refine swords and cultivate.
• Kong Wenxuan chose to refine the White Metal Divine Sword because of its killing power and its usefulness in the coming counteroffensive.

Kong Wenxuan refined the White Metal Divine Sword with Fourth-Tier Geng Metal while watching the Bi Household attempt to advance its True Spirit Lineage. The Bi Household passed the Fifth-Grade True Spirit Heaven’s advancement trial and became a Fifth-Grade True Spirit Lineage.

• Kong Wenxuan refined the White Metal Divine Sword with Geng Metal, aiming to raise it to a Fourth-Tier Law Treasure.
• Kong Wenxuan saw the Bi Household’s Bifang True Spirit Star begin rising toward the Fifth-Grade True Spirit Heaven.
• The Bifang True Spirit Star vanished into the chaotic void, beginning the Bi Household’s advancement assessment.
• Kong Wenxuan waited as the Bi Household faced the dangerous trial, which could involve a Sixth-Tier Spirit Transformation attack.
• Several days later, the Bifang True Spirit Star reappeared higher in the sky, and Kong Wenxuan realized the Bi Household had successfully advanced to a Fifth-Grade True Spirit Lineage.

After the Bi Household advanced to a Fifth-Grade True Spirit Lineage, Kong Wenxuan resumed his cultivation while his eldest uncle Kong Yushuo prepared to break through to the Golden Core Stage. Kong Yushuo overcame his Peacock Bloodline’s Demonic Nature Backlash and became the Kong Household’s third Golden Core True Person.

• The Bi Household celebrated its advancement, and Kong Wenxuan set aside its upcoming commandery-city feast to continue refining the White Metal Divine Sword.
• Kong Yushuo returned from seclusion with his cultivation and Peacock Bloodline at the Third-Tier limit, then spent a month resting and attending to family and Lineage affairs.
• Kong Yushuo climbed Ancestral Spirit Mountain Peak, paid his respects at the Lineage cemetery and ancestral hall, and prepared to attempt the Golden Core Stage.
• Kong Wenxuan and Kong Changgeng guarded Kong Yushuo as he formed a Golden Core and faced the Peacock Bloodline’s Demonic Nature Backlash.
• The Five-Colored Peacock True Spirit’s starlight suppressed and purified the backlash, and Kong Yushuo stabilized his Golden Core, becoming the Kong Household’s third Golden Core True Person.

Kong Wenxuan and the Kong Household attended the Bi Household’s Fifth-Grade Rank Promotion Celebration, where the city’s festivities revealed how many lineages hoped to gain the Bi Household’s support. Despite the Kong Household’s rapid rise and its precedence over the Ya Household, it was seated in a corner as a Low-Grade True Spirit Lineage.

• Kong Changgeng led Kong Wenxuan, Kong Yushuo, and the others from Peacock Manor to the Bi Household’s celebration with congratulatory gifts.
• Kong Wenxuan observed the city’s open banquets and reflected on the glory the Bi Household enjoyed and the support it might offer aspiring lineages.
• Kong Wenxuan’s party arrived alongside Ya Xinghe’s party, and Ya Xinghe let the Kong Household enter first in recognition of its greater strength and rapid advancement.
• The Bi Household’s attendants received the Kong Household’s gifts and led its members to seats in a corner of the banquet.

Kong Wenxuan and the Kong Household attended the Bi Household’s advancement celebration, where the Middle-Grade True Spirit Lineages of Extended Net Moon Deer Prefecture arrived to congratulate them. The Extended Net Moon Deer Lu Household then descended on starlight, and the assembled households welcomed them.

• Kong Wenxuan learned that the seven commanderies of Extended Net Moon Deer Prefecture were ruled by their respective True Spirit Lineages under the Fourth-Grade Lu Household.
• The Middle-Grade True Spirit Lineages arrived at the Bi Household’s celebration in order of rank, and Kong Wenxuan observed the households he had not seen before.
• The Chongming Ming Household arrived with gifts, and Kong Wenxuan saw its members’ Double Pupils, their bloodline ability.
• The Extended Net Moon Deer True Spirit Star appeared above Bifang Commandery City, and members of the Lu Household approached on its starlight.
• Bi Zongcheng led the Bi Household in greeting the Lu Household, and the gathered cultivators rose to welcome them.

At the Bi Household’s promotion celebration, Divine Lord Lu of the Lu Household presented twelve True Martial Blood Source Stones and then met with Divine Lord Bi Sitong. Kong Wenxuan attended the banquet and listened to Bi Sitong’s profound discourse, realizing that his Lower-Grade lineage could only glean fragments from the gathering.

• Divine Lord Lu arrived with the Lu Household delegation, raised the assembled guests, and gave the Bi Household twelve middle-grade True Martial Blood Source Stones as a reward and congratulatory gift.
• Divine Lord Lu went with Bi Qingyu to meet Grand Elder Bi Sitong, while True Lord Bi Zongcheng welcomed the rest of the Lu Household and began the celebration.
• Kong Wenxuan noticed He Household maidservants among those serving the banquet and reflected on the fallen lineage’s possible path back to prominence.
• Kong Wenxuan, Patriarch Kong Changgeng, and Kong Yushuo benefited from the Fifth- and Sixth-Tier food and drink served at the banquet.
• After the half-day banquet, Divine Lord Bi Sitong expounded on the Bi Household’s cultivation and the Great Dao of Fire, but Kong Wenxuan and other lower-tier guests struggled to understand the discourse.

After Divine Lord Bi Sitong’s sermon improved Kong Wenxuan and his relatives’ understanding of the Dao of Fire, the Bi Household’s celebration moved into the Bifang Blessed Land for a discussion of the Dao. Kong Wenxuan watched the Middle-Grade True Spirit Lineages display their distinct methods, while members of the Kong Household learned from the contests.

• Divine Lord Bi Sitong finished preaching, and Kong Wenxuan felt his skill with the Crimson Fire Divine Sword and related techniques improve; Kong Yushuo’s recently gained Golden Core cultivation also settled and strengthened.
• The guests entered the Bi Household’s Bifang Blessed Land, where cultivators from Middle-Grade True Spirit Lineages held contests at the Purple Mansion, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul levels.
• Kong Wenxuan watched the Geng and Kang Households make Spirit Plant groves clash, giving Kong Yujin, Kong Yuyin, Kong Yuqian, and other wood cultivators insight into their arts.
• The Bi and Huo Households demonstrated competing fire techniques, while the Yan Household displayed its Law Artifacts and Law Treasures in battle.
• The Xuan Household used water techniques and the Ming Household combined ocular arts, Yin Qi, Yang Qi, talismans, and formations, giving Kong Household members further methods to study.

After the Bifang Bi Household’s promotion celebration, Kong Wenxuan returned to his Lineage while the Bi Household supported five lineages in Star Inlaying and expanding Bifang Commandery. The new counties created fresh neighbors and potential rivals for the Kong Household, though the Red Leopard Bao Household settled far from Peacock County.

• The Law discussion ranked the Chongming Ming Household first, the Bifang Bi Household second, and the Qinggeng Geng Household third, followed by four Sixth-Grade lineages.
• Kong Wenxuan and the others returned to the Kong Household with gains from their ties to the Bi Household, while Kong Changlan and Kong Wenjun stayed behind to manage cooperation.
• Kong Wenxuan resumed secluded cultivation in the Peacock Secret Realm and worked to improve the White Metal Divine Sword.
• With Bi Household support, the Black Crane He, White Dove Ge, Red Leopard Bao, Egret Lu, and Hoopoe Dai Households succeeded in Star Inlaying and became Ninth-Grade True Spirit Lineages.
• The five newly promoted lineages began establishing counties across Bifang Commandery, including Black Crane County near Shrike County and a Red Leopard county in the South Lake Mountains.
• The Red Leopard Bao Household began expanding from the western South Lake Mountains, keeping its new county relatively far from Peacock County.

Kong Yuyan completed the Kong Household’s first Third-Tier Peacock Treasure Boat, and Kong Wenxuan and the others tested its defensive and offensive formations. The True Spirit Realm’s counterattack against the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven had still not begun, giving the Kong Household more time to prepare.

• Kong Wenxuan heard a peacock cry from the Fire Pool and went to see the newly completed Third-Tier Peacock Treasure Boat rise into the air.
• The patriarch welcomed Kong Wenxuan aboard, and Kong Wenxuan congratulated Kong Yuyan on fulfilling his long-held ambition to forge the boat.
• Kong Yuyan demonstrated the Five Elements Talisman Formation, which withstood attacks from multiple Third-Tier Purple Mansion Stage cultivators.
• Kong Yuyan activated the Five Elements Sword Formation, whose attacks proved comparable to the combined power of several Third-Tier sword cultivators and could unleash Great Five Elements Destruction Sword Light.
• Kong Wenxuan and the others approved of the boat and hoped the Kong Household could forge more for the coming offensive.
• Reports from Bifang Commandery City showed that enemy attacks continued across the True Spirit Realm and the counterattack had not begun, giving the Kong Household more time to grow stronger.

Over six years, the Kong Household expanded its forces while Kong Wenxuan refined the White Metal Divine Sword into a quasi-Fourth Tier Law Treasure. With the counterattack against the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven delayed, he joined a merchant caravan bound for Zhuyan Commandery to borrow metal Sha Qi for the sword’s final tempering.

• Kong Wenxuan spent more than three years refining the White Metal Divine Sword as the Kong Household expanded its territories and strength.
• The Kong Household built two more Third Tier Peacock Treasure Boats and gained four Purple Mansion Stage cultivators, while two members died from Demonic Nature Backlash.
• Kong Wenxuan refined the nine portions of Fourth Tier Geng Metal spirit material and raised the White Metal Divine Sword to quasi-Fourth Tier.
• Kong Wenxuan arranged to borrow metal Sha Qi from Zhuyan Commandery’s Myriad Treasures Mori Origin-Securing Grand Formation through Kong Wenjun’s merchant contacts.
• Kong Wenxuan joined Kong Wenjun’s merchant caravan, boarded a Peacock Treasure Boat, and traveled toward Bifang Commandery City to join the Bi Household’s caravan.

Kong Wenxuan arrived in Bifang Commandery City and resumed refining the Black Water Divine Sword while waiting for the caravans to continue their journey. True Person Bi Qingqing invited him to witness Bi Yanhong's attempt to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm, hinting that the Bi and Kong households might someday become family.

• Kong Wenxuan reached Bifang Commandery City, met with Second Elder Kong Changlan, and learned how the Bi Household had expanded the commandery and how Kong Changlan's cultivation had advanced.
• Kong Wenxuan began refining the Black Water Divine Sword with Fourth-Tier spiritual water from the Peacock Secret Realm.
• True Person Bi Qingqing visited Kong Wenxuan with Bi Yizhen, asked him to look after the young man on their upcoming travels, and introduced them.
• Bi Qingqing invited Kong Wenxuan to observe True Person Bi Yanhong's tribulation and attempt to reach the Fifth-Tier Nascent Soul Realm in ten days.
• Kong Wenxuan accepted the invitation, and Bi Qingqing hinted that their households might one day become family.