Chapter Summaries

The Extended Net Moon Deer True Spirit and the Myriad Phenomena Grand Array turned the battle against the invading forces, destroying their escape routes and crushing their ranks. A prefecture-wide Star True Spirit Chart then helped the Lu Household’s Void Refinement cultivator slay the invading Seventh-Tier elephant demon, while the Seventh-Tier martial cultivator remained trapped.

• Kong Wenxuan repaired his shattered treasures and sword array, then joined the pursuit as the defenders counterattacked.
• The Geng Household Nascent Soul True Lord killed the gravely wounded Fifth-Tier tiger demon, and the Chongming Ming Household slew an invading Fifth-Tier martial cultivator.
• The Extended Net Moon Deer True Spirit swallowed the collapsing Demon-Summoning Banner projection, leaving the True Martial Hall and invading forces exposed to the Myriad Phenomena Grand Array.
• The grand array suppressed the True Martial Hall, shattered its giant manifested figure, and forced the Seventh-Tier combatants out of deep space.
• True Spirit Stars across Extended Net Moon Deer Prefecture formed a Star True Spirit Chart that trapped the Seventh-Tier demon and martial cultivator.
• The Lu Household’s Seventh-Tier Void Refinement cultivator joined the grand array’s assault and killed the invading giant elephant demon.

After the Seventh-Tier elephant demon was killed, the battlefield’s spatial barriers broke apart and the surviving enemies tried to escape or fought desperately. The Lu Household pursued the remaining Seventh-Tier martial cultivator, but he sacrificed much of his martial light to break through and flee, while the battle below continued to favor Extended Net Moon Deer Prefecture’s Lineages.

• The Seventh-Tier elephant demon’s death unleashed uncontrolled origins that tore open the battlefield and created escape routes.
• The remaining Seventh-Tier martial cultivator swept up his forces and fled, while some Demon Race members and Demon Beasts attacked in desperation and others escaped through the cracks.
• The Extended Net Moon Deer True Spirit and the Lu Household’s two Seventh-Tier cultivators focused their attacks on the fleeing martial cultivator, scattering the forces he had carried.
• Kong Wenxuan and the other cultivators fought desperate enemies across the battlefield; despite heavy casualties, the Lineages gradually maintained the advantage.
• The Seventh-Tier martial cultivator detonated more than half of his martial light, suffered grievous injuries, broke through the combined assault, and escaped.

After the Lu Household’s Void Refinement Primordial Lord immobilized the battlefield and captured the remaining enemies, the battle in Extended Net Moon Deer Prefecture ended in victory. Kong Wenxuan watched the captured foes being taken away as the households celebrated and were told to clear the battlefield before a victory banquet.

• The Seventh-Tier enemy escaped, while the Lu Household’s array and treasures overwhelmed the remaining Demon Race members, Demon Beasts, and martial cultivators.
• As the remaining enemies self-destructed and threatened the battlefield, a Lu Household Void Refinement Primordial Lord immobilized them and their destructive forces.
• The Lu Household drew the surviving enemies, including Sixth-Tier fighters, into the Extended Net Moon Deer True Spirit star, ending the battle.
• Kong Wenxuan regained control of his body and wondered what the Lu Household planned to do with its captives.
• The cultivators celebrated the victory, and a Lu Household cultivator announced that households should clear the battlefield ahead of a victory banquet and merit rewards in one month.

After the battle in Extended Net Moon Deer Prefecture, the Kong Household buried more than two hundred fallen clansmen and arranged compensation for its servant-cultivator households. As the Extended Net Moon Deer Lu Household’s victory feast began, Kong Wenxuan and the Kong Household representatives traveled to the prefectural capital.

• The Kong Household held a public funeral for more than two hundred clansmen who had died in the battle, then placed their memorial tablets in the ancestral hall.
• Patriarch Kong Changgeng sent Kong Yushuo and others to compensate and console the servant-cultivator households that had suffered losses.
• Kong Wenxuan returned home to spend time with his parents instead of resuming secluded cultivation.
• As the victory feast approached, Kong Wenxuan studied the Five Elements Divine Swords and examined how treasure Qi had strengthened them.
• Kong Wenxuan joined the Kong Household representatives and used the Peacock True Spirit Star to answer the Extended Net Moon Deer Lu Household’s summons.
• Starlight from the two True Spirit Stars transported Kong Wenxuan and the others to the capital of Extended Net Moon Deer Prefecture for the feast.

Kong Wenxuan attended the Lu Household’s victory banquet, where the battle’s merits and rewards were announced. Though he ranked first among the Low-Grade True Spirit Lineages, two exchange options for cultivation in Origin-Securing Grand Formations especially caught his attention.

• Kong Wenxuan and the Kong Household arrived in the prefectural capital and were escorted to their corner seats at the banquet.
• Kong Wenxuan visited the Bifang Bi Household and the Fire Crow Ya Household, whose members had suffered even heavier casualties than the Kong Household.
• A female Nascent Soul lord of the Lu Household opened the banquet, honored the fallen, and read the battle report and merit rankings.
• Kong Wenxuan learned that he ranked first among the Low-Grade True Spirit Lineages across the seven commanderies, with a merit tally exceeding a thousand.
• The Lu Household announced merit rewards and an exchange treasury that included Treasure Qi refinement in Zhuyan Commandery and cultivation in the Myriad Waters Mori Origin-Securing Grand Formation’s core formation eye in Xuanniao Commandery.

Kong Wenxuan and the Kong Household received compensation and merit rewards from the Lu Household after their major contributions to the war. The Lu Household's Divine Lord praised Kong Wenxuan's battlefield performance and urged him to lead the Kong Household to further achievements.

• Kong Wenxuan considered using the Lu Household's exchange treasury to obtain more Treasure Qi and cultivation opportunities for improving his divine swords.
• The Lu Household began distributing compensation and rewards to participating True Spirit Lineages according to their merit rankings.
• The Lu Household's female True Lord summoned Kong Changgeng and Kong Wenxuan to receive the Kong Household's compensation and rewards.
• The female True Lord detailed the Kong Household's battlefield contributions and listed compensation for its fallen members alongside its merit rewards.
• The Lu Household's Divine Lord offered condolences to Kong Changgeng, who accepted the compensation and declared the Kong Household's loyalty.
• The Divine Lord praised Kong Wenxuan's sword array and achievements, handed him the merit rewards, and encouraged him to lead the Kong Household to greater victories.

At the victory banquet, Kong Wenxuan saw the Extended Net Moon Deer Lu Household reward and praise the True Spirit Lineages that fought in the war. He realized the Lu Household was winning their loyalty in preparation for a counterattack on the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven, and wondered whether he could upgrade the Black Water Divine Sword in time.

• Kong Wenxuan and Patriarch Kong Changgeng returned to their seats after the Kong Household received compensation and rewards from the Lu Household.
• Kong Changgeng and the other Kong Household members celebrated the Lineage's rise and its recognition by the Lu Household's Spirit Transformation divine lord.
• The Lu Household summoned the True Spirit Lineages in order of battlefield merit and personally gave them compensation, materials, and praise.
• Kong Wenxuan noticed that the honored Low-Grade True Spirit Lineages looked eager to follow the Lu Household into battle.
• Kong Wenxuan concluded that the Lu Household was preparing a counterattack on the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven and wondered if he could upgrade the Black Water Divine Sword before it began.

Kong Wenxuan traveled to Xuanniao Commandery to claim his reward of secluded cultivation in the core array eye of the Myriad Waters All-Encompassing Origin-Fortifying Grand Array. He entered the water-element cultivation site and began refining and strengthening the Black Water Divine Sword.

• After the Extended Net Moon Deer Lu Household's banquet and lecture, Kong Wenxuan exchanged his merits for a chance to cultivate in the array's core eye.
• Kong Wenxuan arrived at Xuanniao Commandery and showed Xuan Shanwei his merit-exchange jade token.
• Xuan Shanwei and the Xuan Household's array master opened a passage to the cultivation site for Kong Wenxuan.
• Kong Wenxuan entered the core array eye, where an ocean of black water surrounded an island of profound ice.
• Kong Wenxuan summoned the Black Water Divine Sword and used Fourth-Tier spirit water to begin refining and strengthening it.

Kong Wenxuan advanced the Black Water Divine Sword to a Fourth-Tier Law Treasure, strengthening his Golden Core and bringing him closer to the Late Golden Core Stage. After leaving seclusion and renewing ties with the Xuan Household, he learned that the Golden Crow Imperial Dynasty’s grand court assembly would be convened early.

• Kong Wenxuan spent more than two years refining the Black Water Divine Sword and used three additional months to temper it with water-element Sha Qi.
• Kong Wenxuan advanced the Black Water Divine Sword to a Fourth-Tier Law Treasure, leaving only the Yellow Earth Divine Sword of his Five Elements Divine Swords to advance.
• Kong Wenxuan’s Golden Core grew, bringing him closer to the Late Golden Core Stage and stirring the Peacock Bloodline within it.
• Kong Wenxuan left seclusion and exchanged polite greetings with the Xuan Household’s Golden Core formation master, expressing interest in maintaining good relations.
• Kong Wenxuan received a message from his clan announcing that the Golden Crow Imperial Dynasty’s grand court assembly would be convened early.

Kong Wenxuan learned that the Golden Crow Imperial Court had moved up its grand court assembly and used Starlight Teleportation to return from Xuanniao Commandery to Peacock County. He reunited with his eldest uncle, Kong Yushuo, and headed to the Kong Household’s ancestral grounds.

• Kong Wenxuan received the Lineage’s message about the early grand court assembly and decided to return to Peacock County.
• Kong Wenxuan exchanged battlefield military merits for Starlight Teleportation through the Extended Net Moon Deer Lu Household’s True Spirit Star.
• Kong Wenxuan arrived outside the Peacock County Seat, where Kong Yushuo and other Lineage members came to greet him.
• Kong Wenxuan told Kong Yushuo that he had finished refining the Black Water Divine Sword and that the message had arrived after his seclusion ended.
• Kong Wenxuan and the others flew across the prosperous city toward Longevity Mountain and the Kong Household’s ancestral grounds.

The Golden Crow Imperial Dynasty activated the Celestial Stars True Spirit Diagram and summoned True Spirit Lineages from across the realm to its grand court assembly. Kong Wenxuan arrived in the imperial palace with the other county magistrates as the assembly began and the first bow to the emperor was called.

• The Golden Crow True Spirit and the stars of the Four Spirit Constellations manifested, followed by true spirit stars of every grade.
• The Celestial Stars True Spirit Diagram summoned the Peacock True Spirit Star, and Kong Wenxuan raised his official seal and called down the Peacock True Spirit to confirm his identity.
• Starlight carried Kong Wenxuan into a golden palace, where he greeted Ya Xinghe and took his place among the Bifang Commandery magistrates.
• A Yu Household cultivator declared the grand court assembly open and called for all true spirits to bow before the emperor.

Kong Wenxuan attended the Golden Crow Imperial Dynasty’s Grand Court Assembly as a low-ranking county magistrate, watching from a corner while officials reported on the wars. The reports showed the True Spirit Realm had gained the upper hand both against the True Martial World on the Outer Heaven Battlefield and against the invading demons, leaving it prepared to attack the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven.

• The Grand Yin Jade Rabbit Yu Household member led the assembly, and Kong Wenxuan joined the other low-ranking officials in bowing before the emperor.
• Kong Wenxuan watched the assembly proceed as officials from the central ministries and then the prefectures reported, while commandery governors and county magistrates remained in the background.
• Reports described how the True Spirit Realm’s forces had driven back the True Martial World’s martial cultivators and seized the initiative on the Outer Heaven Battlefield.
• Officials reported that the invading demons and martial cultivators had been largely defeated across the five directions and five domains, with only a few survivors escaping.
• The reports indicated that the True Spirit Realm could now gather its forces to counterattack the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven and eliminate the threat within its borders.

Kong Wenxuan listened as the grand court assembly reviewed the Peacock Kong Household’s merits and faults, then accepted the Golden Crow Emperor’s rewards for the household. The Kong Household ranked ninth among seventh-grade True Spirit lineages, and its rewards reflected its strong performance in the recent battles.

• Kong Wenxuan listened as the governor of Extended Net Moon Deer Prefecture recounted the Peacock Kong Household’s merits and faults, and he found no errors in the account.
• The Golden Crow Imperial Dynasty began rewarding and punishing True Spirit Lineages according to their grades and merits.
• The imperial edict for the Peacock Kong Household was announced in ninth place among the seventh-grade lineages, drawing surprised and curious gazes toward Kong Wenxuan.
• Kong Wenxuan accepted the edict, which granted the Kong Household five thousand imperial dynasty merit points, sixth-tier spiritual dishes, three pots of Star Dew Sweet Spring, and a pot of Grand Yin Jade Dew.
• The chapter noted that the Kong Household had also earned more than twenty thousand military merit points, helping it rank ninth among seventh-grade lineages.

Kong Wenxuan considered spending the Kong Household’s accumulated merit to prepare for the coming counterattack on the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven. At the imperial garden banquet, he met members of seventh-grade true spirit lineages from across the realm and cultivated useful connections.

• Kong Wenxuan decided the Kong Household should use its more than thirty thousand merit to strengthen itself before joining the counterattack on the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven.
• After the grand court assembly concluded, the presiding Yu Household cultivator transported the officials to a banquet in the Imperial Garden.
• Kong Wenxuan took his place among the seventh-grade true spirit lineages, where he recognized Ya Xinghe and the patriarch of the Spotted Ferret Hua Household.
• Kong Wenxuan met and exchanged greetings with seventh-grade lineage members from across the realm, building connections for the coming campaign.

At the Grand Court Assembly banquet, Divine Lord Luan approached Kong Wenxuan and offered to help the Peacock Kong Household return to the Central Domain and rise in rank. Kong Wenxuan declined, and Divine Lord Luan left him a Jade Slip before departing.

• Divine Lord Luan arrived at the Seventh-Grade banquet and asked to speak privately with Kong Wenxuan.
• Divine Lord Luan praised Kong Wenxuan’s achievements and asked whether he knew of the former ties between the Luan Household and the Peacock Kong Household.
• Kong Wenxuan acknowledged the Luan Household’s past kindness but made clear that his household intended to remain in the Southern Region.
• Divine Lord Luan offered to help Kong Wenxuan reach the Fifth-Tier Nascent Soul Realm and advance the Kong Household to a Sixth-Grade True Spirit Lineage if they moved back to Azure Luan Commandery.
• Kong Wenxuan declined the offer, and Divine Lord Luan gave him a Jade Slip before leaving.

Kong Wenxuan received valuable Nascent Soul breakthrough and advancement experience from the Azure Luan Luan Household's Divine Lord, then used the banquet's benefits and imperial merit to prepare for cultivation and the coming war. He entered the Peacock Secret Realm with South Mountain Stubborn Stone to refine the Yellow Earth Divine Sword.

• Kong Wenxuan examined the Jade Slip left by the Azure Luan Luan Household's Divine Lord and found experience on reaching the Nascent Soul Realm and ascending to the Sixth-Grade True Spirit Heaven.
• Kong Wenxuan decided to keep the inheritance, reaffirmed his choice to develop the Kong Household in the Vermilion Bird Domain, and resumed socializing with other lineages at the banquet.
• After the Grand Court Assembly ended, Kong Wenxuan returned to Peacock County Seat and felt the spiritual dishes and drinks had invigorated his cultivation.
• Kong Wenxuan spent three thousand merit points on nine pieces of Fourth-Tier South Mountain Stubborn Stone to strengthen the Yellow Earth Divine Sword.
• Kong Wenxuan gave the clan leader the Magistrate's Official Seal to exchange remaining merit for resources, then went to the Peacock Secret Realm to refine the Yellow Earth Divine Sword.

As the counterattack on the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven approached, Kong Wenxuan stopped refining the Yellow Earth Divine Sword and mobilized the Kong Household’s forces. Peacock Dao Soldiers, boats, and disciples gathered in the Peacock Secret Realm to prepare for the expedition.

• Kong Wenxuan sensed the Five-Colored Peacock True Spirit’s call and stopped refining the Yellow Earth Divine Sword, which had consumed one and a half pieces of South Mountain Stubborn Stone.
• Peacock Spirit Birds emerged from the Azure Cloud Spirit Bamboo and formed squads of ten Third Tier, two hundred Second Tier, and three thousand First Tier Peacock Dao Soldiers.
• Four Peacock Treasure Boats and forty Peacock Flying Boats left the southern fire pool after Fourteenth Uncle Kong Yuyan had overseen the repair of one Treasure Boat and construction of another.
• The Five-Colored Peacock True Spirit summoned Kong Household disciples across the secret realm to gather for the counterattack.
• The Kong Household’s three Fourth Tier, thirteen Third Tier, more than three hundred Second Tier, and nearly seven thousand First Tier cultivators assembled for the coming expedition.

Kong Wenxuan led the Kong Household and willing servant Lineages to join the forces gathering in the Mystic Crane Secret Realm for the counterattack on the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven. Divine Lord Bi Sitong opened the void rift and led the first wave inside as the three commanderies began their assault.

• Kong Wenxuan brought the Kong Household’s forces and contingents from willing servant Lineages to the Mystic Crane Secret Realm, where armies from Bifang, Qinggeng, and Huodou Commanderies had gathered.
• The Kong Household committed Kong Wenxuan, Kong Yushuo, seven Purple Mansion cultivators, 150 Foundation Establishment cultivators, and 3,000 Qi Refinement disciples, while Kong Changgeng and the rest remained in Peacock County.
• The Bifang, Qinggeng, and Huodou True Spirit Stars appeared, and Divine Lord Bi Sitong announced that the counterattack was beginning.
• Divine Lord Bi Sitong drew starlight from the Bifang True Spirit Star to undo the seals on the rift, then charged through it and fought back the surging demonic light.
• The leaders of the Bi, Geng, and Huo Households called their commandery forces to follow them into the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven.

Kong Wenxuan and the Kong Household forces crossed the void rift into the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven under the protection of starlight, as the leading True Spirit Lineages broke through the Demon Race’s defenses. After entering, Kong Wenxuan noticed that the Grotto-Heaven’s sun, moon, and stars followed the same patterns as those in the True Spirit Realm.

• Kong Wenxuan traveled through the void rift with the Kong Household and Peacock County forces while the Demon Race’s Yao Qi and demonic light struck the protective starlight.
• The armies of the Bi, Geng, and Huo Households destroyed the Demon Race’s interception and opened the passage into the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven.
• Kong Wenxuan ordered his forces to form ranks and prepare for battle before the starlight carried them into the Grotto-Heaven.
• Kong Wenxuan observed that the Grotto-Heaven’s landscape resembled the True Spirit Realm’s and then saw that its sun, moon, and stars matched the True Spirit Realm’s sky.

Kong Wenxuan discovered that the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven’s starry sky was made from Demon-Summoning Banner projections arranged to imitate the Celestial Stars True Spirit Diagram. As the two skies clashed, he found the Peacock Demon Race’s projection and noticed its manifested demon was a Seven-Colored Peacock, unlike the Kong Household’s Five-Colored Peacock True Spirit.

• Kong Wenxuan realized the Heavenly Demon Grotto-Heaven’s starry sky was deliberately arranged to resemble the True Spirit Realm’s sky, though it was obscured by demon light and demonic Qi.
• The Celestial Stars True Spirit Diagram broke through the grotto-heaven’s defenses, and its starry sky collided with the demon-filled sky.
• Kong Wenxuan saw that the grotto-heaven’s celestial bodies were Demon-Summoning Banners and projections, with the Innate Spirit Treasure Demon-Summoning Banner at the center.
• He recognized the Peacock Demon Race’s Demon-Summoning Banner projection in the position corresponding to the Kong Household’s Peacock True Spirit Star.
• Kong Wenxuan noticed that the peacock manifested in the projection was a Seven-Colored Peacock rather than the Kong Household’s Five-Colored Peacock True Spirit.