Recaps

Li Chengxuan took Hua Chunning back to Supreme Mystery Mountain after her online fame threatened her cultivation, then investigated an ancient naming method. Hua Chunning revealed that High Person Zhuohua had ordered the Hua Household’s generational names and that her three younger siblings had died young.

• Duanmu Ren showed Li Chengxuan the viral videos of Hua Chunning and agreed to remove those revealing her identity, name, and location.
• Li Chengxuan warned Hua Chunning that worldly attention could damage her cultivation and took her back to Supreme Mystery Mountain, promising to return her in a month.
• Hua Chunning questioned whether Li Chengxuan intended to make Duanmu Ren his disciple, then apologized after Li Chengxuan silently rebuked her.
• Li Chengxuan studied an ancient bamboo slip describing the Name and Nature Method, which used names to shape a person’s nature and accumulate spirituality and destiny.
• Hua Chunning told Li Chengxuan that High Person Zhuohua had ordered the Hua Household’s generational naming and that Hua Chunning’s three younger siblings, born in the other seasons, had all died young.

Li Chengxuan decided to guide Hua Chunning toward a future cultivation path, keeping him at Supreme Mystery Mountain to study selected Yi Wood texts. Meanwhile, Liu Zhijian continued seeking a way to gather Qi at Wild Goose Pond Mountain and ended the night by heading out with his fishing rod.

• Li Chengxuan warned Hua Chunning that cultivating through Mortal World Turbid Qi would destroy his Manifestation, then promised he had ideas for another path but could not yet reveal them.
• Li Chengxuan kept Hua Chunning confined to a side hall and studying selected Yi Wood lineage texts, and Hua Chunning resolved to make the most of the sect leader’s guidance.
• Liu Zhijian visited Old Luo and his granddaughter, then ate a fish meal and continued practicing the Dripping Water Pierces Stone Meridian-Opening Method.
• Deng Gang asked Liu Zhijian whether he had found a way to gather Qi and again proposed seeking Kan Water Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi from the Azure Cloud Sect, but Liu Zhijian refused.
• Liu Zhijian realized it was the beginning of summer, felt lonely beneath the moon, and went down the mountain carrying his fishing rod.

Liu Zhijian found comfort in fishing and spending time with Jiang Xiaoyu, while memories of his past stirred up guilt and regret. When Deng Gang returned and announced his plan to conquer Wild Goose Pond Commandery, Liu Zhijian declined to join him, but Deng Gang promised to attack the Supreme Mystery Demon Sect next.

• Liu Zhijian fished through the night, recalled his mother and his past, and caught a tiny fish that later slipped out of his basket.
• Liu Zhijian pulled apart Jiang Xiaoyu’s braids, then awkwardly tied her hair back after she burst into tears.
• Over the next half month, Liu Zhijian kept fishing and helped Jiang Xiaoyu braid her hair while Deng Gang remained away.
• Deng Gang returned after a month and told Liu Zhijian he intended to raise a banner and conquer Wild Goose Pond Commandery.
• Liu Zhijian declined Deng Gang’s offer to help, explaining that he still needed to cultivate.
• Deng Gang said he would next sweep through the Huang Kingdom and attack the Supreme Mystery Demon Sect, leaving Liu Zhijian alarmed.

Deng Gang tried to recruit Liu Zhijian into his campaign to seize Huang Kingdom, but Liu refused and Deng promised to obtain [Kan Water Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi] for him. As Deng’s rebellion threatened the Chu Clan and a secret letter revealed the Azure Cloud Sect’s plans, Li Chengxuan learned that the sect wanted to build a marketplace.

• Deng Gang urged Liu Zhijian to join his rebellion, but Liu declined because he wanted to focus on cultivation and warned Deng about the dangers of mortal affairs.
• Deng Gang revealed that he had a backer, accepted Liu’s refusal, and promised to obtain [Kan Water Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi] for him.
• Liu Zhijian continued fishing for [Clear Qi Above the River], realized it appeared as small, fine-scaled fish, and returned to Wild Goose Pond Mountain to meet Jiang Xiaoyu.
• Deng Gang swept through a commandery and declared his intent to contend for Huang Kingdom, while the Chu Clan repeatedly appealed to Supreme Mystery Mountain for help.
• Li Chengxuan ignored the Chu Clan’s pleas and read a secret letter forwarded by the Hua Household, learning that the Azure Cloud Sect wanted to build a marketplace.

Li Chengxuan approved the Azure Cloud Sect’s marketplace plans and prepared himself by learning three Law Techniques. He then told Hua Chunning that her fondness for an illustrated flower album might lead her to a limited path into cultivation, though its prospects were uncertain.

• Li Chengxuan told Hua Mingcheng that Supreme Mystery Mountain accepted the Azure Cloud Sect’s marketplace and its offer of thirty percent of the profits, and encouraged the Hua Household to trade there.
• Li Chengxuan sensed that Liu Zhijian had begun gathering Qi and, after breaking through to the Middle Stage of Qi Refining, chose the Earth Armor Technique, Cloud Soaring Technique, and Lesser Spirit Shocking Incantation.
• Li Chengxuan questioned Hua Chunning about Spring and discovered that she had read an illustrated album of flowers more than the Daoist scriptures before her.
• Li Chengxuan told Hua Chunning that the flower album might be her destined affinity and that a winding path could allow her to cultivate part of Yi Wood despite her insufficient Manifestation.
• Hua Chunning thanked Li Chengxuan and agreed to try the path, while Li Chengxuan said High Person Zhuohua had opened it and explained that cultivating only part of Yi Wood might be enough.

Li Chengxuan confined Hua Chunning to cultivate a new path into the severed [Yi Wood] Dao lineage, then returned to Earth and found Duanmu Ren angling to exploit Hua Chunning’s healing abilities for political gain. The chapter ended with Li Chengxuan punishing Duanmu Ren for testing his limits.

• Hua Chunning agreed to cultivate [Yi Wood of Spring] or [Spring of Yi Wood], gather [Fragrance of a Hundred Flowers], and remain secluded until spring so her Manifestation could be supplemented.
• Li Chengxuan instructed Hua Chunning to choose spring-blooming flowers for the Hua Household to plant and said he would arrange the Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard’s [Spirit Atmosphere Creation Method].
• Duanmu Ren pressed Li Chengxuan to bring Hua Chunning back to treat an important elderly patient, offering to seriously consider cultivating the Dao in exchange.
• Li Chengxuan dismissed Duanmu Ren’s bargaining and ordered him to build the sub-courtyard with a hundred flower varieties before spring.
• Li Chengxuan used the [Lesser Spirit Shocking Incantation] on Duanmu Ren, warning that the punishment was only a stern warning.

Li Chengxuan reunited with Xue Yang, who praised his disciple’s unusual cultivation and discussed the Azure Cloud Market and the Chu Household. At Wild Goose Pond Mountain, Liu Zhijian reunited with Deng Gang and declined his invitation to join the campaign against the Huang Kingdom.

• Li Chengxuan told Xue Yang that his recent breakthrough had exhausted his sect’s store of precious pills.
• Xue Yang described the Azure Cloud Market’s thriving trade and spirit-farming system, then said he had dismissed the Chu Household’s plea to punish a troublemaking cultivator.
• Xue Yang reported seeing Liu Zhijian gather Qi by the White Dragon River and praised his dense Kan Water Manifestation and mysterious cultivation method.
• Jiang Xiaoyu persuaded Liu Zhijian to take her fishing, but she quickly lost interest and went to collect shells.
• Deng Gang introduced Liu Zhijian to his wife, Qiao Yuniang, and invited him to join his campaign against the Huang Kingdom.
• Liu Zhijian declined Deng Gang’s invitation, and Qiao Yuniang took the wine pot away to have it warmed.

As autumn made gathering [Clear Qi Above the River] easier, Liu Zhijian struggled to determine how many fish would complete the method. After Elder Luo recounted the violence and losses that shaped his life, he entrusted Jiang Xiaoyu to Liu Zhijian and prepared to end his life at the White Dragon River.

• Liu Zhijian found that gathering Qi became easier after autumn arrived and wondered whether a full strand required catching 365 small, fine-scaled fish.
• After a funeral, Elder Luo visited Liu Zhijian and told him how his parents died, his sister was sold to a brothel and died, and he took revenge by killing those he blamed.
• Elder Luo explained that he had rescued Jiang Xiaoyu from being sold by her uncle and saw his late sister in her, then asked Liu Zhijian to protect the girl.
• Liu Zhijian promised to care for Jiang Xiaoyu and refused Elder Luo's harmful Secret Method.
• Elder Luo brought Jiang Xiaoyu to Liu Zhijian the next day and said he would go to the White Dragon River to die.

After Elder Luo’s death, Liu Zhijian and Deng Gang grew distant over their different paths and backgrounds. During a snowy night by the White Dragon River, Liu Zhijian ingested Clear Qi Above the River and became a Kan Water cultivator.

• Jiang Xiaoyu explained that she viewed Elder Luo’s death like her grandparents entering a Death-Waiting Cave, then refused to cry because Elder Luo had told her to live happily.
• Deng Gang returned to pay tribute to Elder Luo and told Liu Zhijian that his rebellion had taken three commanderies and that he had reached the Middle Stage of Qi Refining.
• Deng Gang revealed that he was a White Dragon Bloodline Descendant and vowed to avenge his clan by confronting the Supreme Mystery Demon Sect after reaching Perfected Qi Refining.
• Deng Gang left after accusing Liu Zhijian of looking down on him, and Liu Zhijian reflected that the mortal world disturbed his Dao heart.
• In winter, Liu Zhijian gathered Qi by the White Dragon River and experienced an insight as snow covered the land.
• Liu Zhijian guided Clear Qi Above the River through his meridians, formed a Heaven and Earth Root, and became a Kan Water cultivator.

Liu Zhijian entered the Dao through Qi Ingestion but stayed on Wild Goose Pond Mountain through winter, while Li Chengxuan prepared Hua Chunning to gather Spring Qi and advance along the Yi Wood Dao. When spring arrived, Li Chengxuan brought Hua Chunning to a flower-filled sub-courtyard and instructed her and Duanmu Ren to open it to the public so they could gather Living Spring.

• Jiang Xiaoyu noticed Liu Zhijian’s new fragrance after he entered the Dao through Qi Ingestion, and Liu decided to remain on Wild Goose Pond Mountain until spring.
• Li Chengxuan sensed Liu Zhijian’s breakthrough, gained cultivation and Merit, and kept Hua Chunning confined while she studied Daoist scriptures for nine months.
• At the beginning of spring, Li Chengxuan released Hua Chunning and brought her to the transformed Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard, where its flowers refreshed her.
• Duanmu Ren arrived, and Hua Chunning and Duanmu Ren each mistook the other’s changed appearance for the result of hardship.
• Li Chengxuan explained that the sub-courtyard’s Yi Wood spiritual formation needed visitors who felt spring’s renewal, then told Hua Chunning and Duanmu Ren to open it to the public to gather Living Spring.

Hua Chunning and Duanmu Ren prepared to attract visitors to the Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard, while Hua Chunning studied the first three pentads of Beginning of Spring to replenish her Manifestation. The courtyard opened to a crowd of officials, and Vice Mayor Qian spotted someone he thought might be the viral Flower Fairy.

• Duanmu Ren proposed an opening ceremony, free shuttle buses, and publicity featuring Hua Chunning to draw visitors and gather a living spring Manifestation.
• Hua Chunning agreed to promote herself and contemplated the first three Beginning of Spring pentads as she sensed the wind, stirring insects, and fish breaking through ice.
• The Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard officially opened in Stone Ridge County, despite local doubts that the costly tourism project would succeed.
• Duanmu Ren guided visiting officials around the grounds, and Director Jia praised the care put into the project.
• Vice Mayor Qian recognized a woman ahead as possibly the Flower Fairy who had become popular online.

Hua Chunning cultivated Spring Qi at the newly opened tourist resort, while Duanmu Ren used a misleading explanation to keep Vice Mayor Qian from pursuing her. Zhao Xiaojun came to expose Hua Chunning as a fraud, but her beauty made him fall into a lake, and she began treating his sprained ankle.

• Duanmu Ren persuaded Vice Mayor Qian that the resort project had been arranged for someone powerful, making Qian wary of approaching Hua Chunning.
• Hua Chunning realized that the tourists’ pure appreciation of the garden had changed its Spring Qi into the Living Spring.
• Zhao Xiaojun saw videos of Hua Chunning and traveled to the resort intending to expose her as a fraud.
• Zhao Xiaojun became distracted by Hua Chunning’s beauty, fell into the lake, and sprained his ankle.
• Li Jiabao arranged to take Zhao Xiaojun to the hospital, but Hua Chunning offered to examine him and gently pinched his ankle.

Hua Chunning’s seasonal rituals at the Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard made her more famous, and Duanmu Ren turned the crowds into a ticketed attraction. As her spring practices continued, Duanmu Ren told her that miners from outside the area were demanding treatment and asked her to decide what to do.

• Zhao Xiaojun discovered videos of his fall and injury spreading online, then changed his username and defended Hua Chunning in the comments.
• Duanmu Ren arranged doctors for the crowds and announced that visitors would need tickets and reservations to enter the Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard.
• As spring arrived, Hua Chunning began performing sacrifices with wooden fish, stone geese, and paper flowers, then counted returning wild geese and checked sprouting plants to accumulate Manifestation.
• Hua Chunning’s rituals and unexplained background fueled online debate and increased the sub-courtyard’s popularity.
• Duanmu Ren told Hua Chunning that miners she had treated had improved, while patients from elsewhere were demanding her care and provincial authorities had become involved.

Hua Chunning refused to treat the vast number of pneumoconiosis patients while focusing on her cultivation, triggering a public backlash against her and the Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard. When an old patient arrived seeking help and died after a woman accidentally knocked him down, the woman began filming and accused the sub-courtyard of beating him to death.

• Hua Chunning learned that around a million people suffered from pneumoconiosis and told Duanmu Ren to keep worldly affairs from disturbing her cultivation.
• Reports that Hua Chunning had once treated miners spread online, along with claims that she and Stone Ridge County had turned away other patients, reversing public opinion against her and the Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard.
• Hua Chunning continued condensing her Awakening of Insects Manifestation while Duanmu Ren prepared for trouble and Li Jiabao urged Hu Shihao to send more guards.
• A middle-aged woman accused Hua Chunning of refusing to help the miners, and an old patient ran past Hu Shihao's underlings to beg Hua Chunning for treatment.
• The woman collided with the old man while trying to support him, and he died; she then filmed the scene and falsely accused the Supreme Mystery Sub-Courtyard of beating a patient to death.

Hua Chunning returned from the Grotto-Heaven with her Manifestation strengthened but her cultivation prospects uncertain, and Li Chengxuan explained why she might still have a chance. Seeking counsel from her grandfather, she rejected the Hua Household’s Human Pills, and Hua Mingcheng revealed the Azure Origin Fate-Weighing Plate.

• Li Chengxuan examined Hua Chunning and learned that she had gathered the Manifestations of the Beginning of Spring and Rain Water and part of the Awakening of Insects.
• Li Chengxuan explained that Hua Chunning’s progress might still support her Dao Path, but warned that returning to the Grotto-Heaven next year could bring further tribulations.
• Hua Chunning visited Hua Mingcheng and told him she feared she had cut off her Dao Path, while keeping the Grotto-Heaven secret.
• Hua Mingcheng offered Hua Chunning Human Pills, but she refused because she believed they would conflict with her Dao Path.
• Hua Mingcheng brought out a jade vial and a battered wooden basin, then identified them as the Hua Household’s Azure Origin Fate-Weighing Plate.

Hua Mingcheng used the Azure Origin Fate-Weighing Plate to test whether Hua Chunning had enough fate to cultivate, but the result fell just short until the spirit spring water mysteriously submerged the seed and made it sink. Hua Chunning then escorted Liu Zhijian and Jiang Xiaoyu to meet Li Chengxuan, where Liu Zhijian suddenly coughed up a great gush of river water.

• Hua Mingcheng explained how he had preserved the Azure Origin Fate-Weighing Plate and arranged for Hua Chunning to enter Supreme Mystery Mountain, hoping to borrow its Manifestation and fate.
• Hua Chunning's medicinal seed sank in the spirit spring water before rising almost to the surface, leaving Hua Mingcheng convinced Hua Chunning was just short of the requirements for cultivation.
• A Hua Household member reported that Liu Zhijian had arrived at the foot of Supreme Mystery Mountain with Jiang Xiaoyu, and Hua Chunning recognized him and went to meet them.
• Hua Chunning greeted Liu Zhijian and led him and Jiang Xiaoyu up the mountain to see Li Chengxuan.
• The spirit spring water in the Azure Origin Fate-Weighing Plate swept over Hua Chunning's seed, which sank to the bottom and stayed there.
• Li Chengxuan welcomed Liu Zhijian, but Liu Zhijian suddenly coughed up a great gush of clear river water.

Liu Zhijian chose the River and Great Mound Scripture and cultivated to bring his overflowing Kan Water Manifestation under control. After his success turned a mountain creek into a torrent, he stopped the flood, while Jiang Xiaoyu complained that the creek had no fish.

• Liu Zhijian’s Kan Water Manifestation overflowed, pouring water from his face until Li Chengxuan explained the cause and the water subsided.
• Li Chengxuan offered Liu Zhijian two Kan Water Cultivation Methods, and Liu Zhijian chose the River and Great Mound Scripture because he refused to claim rivers and streams for himself.
• Liu Zhijian entered seclusion to cultivate while Hua Chunning taught Jiang Xiaoyu, who ignored her lessons and plotted to flood the library.
• During Grain Rain, Jiang Xiaoyu’s channel diverted a swelling creek toward Liu Zhijian’s cave, but Liu Zhijian stopped the torrent with his newly ordered Manifestation.
• Hua Chunning congratulated Liu Zhijian on his cultivation, and Jiang Xiaoyu told him the mountain creek had no fish.

Liu Zhijian learned that his master and several powerful allies were orchestrating Deng Gang’s rise to kingship, using the blood and fate of the slain flood dragon Fubo to strengthen him. The plan’s final step was to recreate Fubo’s legendary attack on Supreme Mystery Mountain, leaving Liu Zhijian alarmed by what they intended for Deng Gang.

• Liu Zhijian let Jiang Xiaoyu attend the Hua Household’s family school during the day after Hua Chunning explained that she was lonely and resisted studying Daoist scriptures.
• Liu Zhijian went to the General Affairs Hall, where Li Chengxuan introduced him to Xue Yang, Qiao Yunbai, and Dong Linyuan.
• Dong Linyuan explained that the first step in rearing a dragon was to use Fubo’s flood-dragon blood to strengthen Deng Gang’s blood and fate.
• Dong Linyuan said Deng Gang had to win every battle, seize the Huang Kingdom, and ascend its throne so his influence and Manifestation would grow without setbacks.
• Qiao Yunbai said the Azure Cloud Sect was helping Deng Gang take the Huang Kingdom and would submit to him once he became king, while Xue Yang promised the sect its promised reward.
• Dong Linyuan proposed completing Deng Gang’s fate by making him follow Fubo’s path and attack Supreme Mystery Mountain, and Liu Zhijian realized the scheme concerned Deng Gang.

Liu Zhijian realized that Deng Gang’s rise had been engineered by powerful sects, while Xue Yang tried to draw Li Chengxuan away from Supreme Mystery Mountain to further a scheme involving a Human Pill. Li Chengxuan refused to leave, arranged for Liu Zhijian to guard the White Dragon River, and revealed that the scheme might aim to have the Human Pill kill Supreme Mystery Mountain’s sect master and thereby complete his fate.

• Liu Zhijian deduced that the Azure Cloud Sect had helped deliver flood dragon blood to Deng Gang and that Deng Gang’s victories had been supported by several powerful factions.
• Xue Yang, Qiao Yunbai, and Dong Linyuan visited Supreme Mystery Mountain and pressed Li Chengxuan to join their plan in person.
• Li Chengxuan refused to leave the mountain and suggested convening the full Immortal Alliance, leaving Xue Yang unable to answer without exposing the Human Pill scheme.
• Li Chengxuan agreed to send Liu Zhijian to watch the White Dragon River outside Danzhou City for a month, starting in seven days.
• After the visitors left, Li Chengxuan explained that Xue Yang had wanted him away from the mountain and suspected the scheme sought to have the Human Pill kill Supreme Mystery Mountain’s sect master.

Li Chengxuan warned Liu Zhijian that Xue Yang might be plotting to have him killed, while Liu vowed not to take lives for cultivation. Deng Gang conquered Huang Kingdom’s capital, accepted the emperor’s surrender, then ordered the slaughter of the nobles and ministers on Imperial City Street in revenge for his uncle.

• Li Chengxuan told Liu Zhijian that Deng Gang was bound to die as a Human Pill, and said Liu might be able to save him if he reached Foundation Establishment.
• Deng Gang took another prefecture with ease and learned that a children’s rhyme praised him as a white-robed general feared by thousands.
• Qiao Yuniang advised Deng Gang to spare Huang Kingdom’s surrendering emperor, and Deng Gang granted him the title Marquis of Muddled Virtue.
• Deng Gang recognized Imperial City Street as the place where his uncle had been beaten and killed, then ordered his soldiers to kill everyone living there.
• Deng Gang rode over the corpses and declared that he had trampled the bones of nobles and ministers for his uncle.

After restoring the Deng Kingdom, Deng Gang struggled to find purpose and hesitated to pursue revenge against the Supreme Mystery Demon Sect. A dream of his dead uncle and his sudden transformation into a flood dragon reignited his ambition, and Qiao Yuniang advised him to perform the feng and shan sacrifices to become a true dragon.

• Deng Gang celebrated his enthronement, then grew aimless and left Qiao Yuniang to manage the court while he indulged in wine and women.
• Qiao Yuniang reminded Deng Gang of his family’s grievances, but he chose to pursue the Chu Clan remnants and postpone attacking the Supreme Mystery Demon Sect.
• Deng Gang dreamed that his dead uncle urged him to strike while the Supreme Mystery Demon Sect was weak and warned that their bloodlines could not coexist.
• Deng Gang awoke with flood dragon scales and claws, and he concluded that his family possessed an extraordinary bloodline.
• Qiao Yuniang told Deng Gang that he could become a true dragon by touring the realm and performing the feng and shan sacrifices to Heaven.

Deng Gang’s imperial tour toward Supreme Mystery Mountain was marked by brutal forced labor and his growing dependence on Essence Treasure Pills, while Qiao Yuniang sought to stir popular resentment and announced she was carrying the imperial heir. Outside Danzhou City, Liu Zhijian appeared and invited Deng Gang to share a drink, leaving their reunion unresolved.

• Deng Gang traveled upstream on a dragon boat while conscripted trackers were whipped and worked to exhaustion, and Qiao Yuniang watched as the suffering fueled her plan to gather resentment.
• Deng Gang took his daily Essence Treasure Pill and gave in to violent urges, while Qiao Yuniang left the cabin and reflected on her plan to imitate the evil flood dragon’s deeds.
• At Wild Goose Pond Mountain, Deng Gang discussed attacking Supreme Mystery Mountain with Qiao Yuniang, who promised him a Foundation Establishment Pill and said she was pregnant with his heir.
• Outside Danzhou City, exhausted trackers collapsed and guards drove them away as Deng Gang helped Qiao Yuniang ashore.
• Liu Zhijian waited by a campfire and invited Deng Gang to drink and renew their old friendship.

Deng Gang learned that Qiao Yuniang had been feeding him Human Pills and asked Liu Zhijian whether he had truly chosen the Flood Dragon Essence Blood for him. After taking a Foundation Establishment Pill, Deng Gang killed Qiao Yuniang and fled, only to find the cultivators behind his predicament blocking every escape route.

• Deng Gang asked Liu Zhijian whether he had known the truth in the Flood Dragon cave abode, and Liu Zhijian said he learned it only after returning to Supreme Mystery Mountain.
• Liu Zhijian revealed that Deng Gang could seek shelter at Supreme Mystery Mountain if he had not consumed Human Pills, or could try to kill him and conquer the mountain to pursue Foundation Establishment.
• Deng Gang realized Qiao Yuniang’s Essence Treasure Pills had been Human Pills, swallowed a genuine Foundation Establishment Pill, and snapped her neck despite her plea that she was carrying his child.
• Deng Gang attacked Azure Cloud Sect disciples and fled east, but Qiao Yunbai struck him aside and warned that only the western route remained open.
• Deng Gang tried fleeing north and then south, but Xue Yang and Dong Linyuan blocked his way, and Deng Gang recognized Dong Linyuan as his uncle.

Deng Gang transformed into a vicious gray flood dragon and battled Qiao Yunbai, who wielded a Mystic Thunder Bamboo Sword, while Xue Yang and Dong Linyuan watched for their own advantage. Trapped from escaping to the White Dragon River, Deng Gang turned to Liu Zhijian, who unleashed a terrifying golden-white sword from his black case.

• Deng Gang transformed into a gray flood dragon and attacked Qiao Yunbai, hoping to reach the White Dragon River and escape.
• Deng Gang used his water-controlling abilities to sweep Azure Cloud Sect disciples into the river, and Qiao Yunbai fought back with his Mystic Thunder Bamboo Sword.
• Deng Gang swallowed the Mystic Thunder Bamboo Sword and defiled it with malice and Blood Qi, forcing Qiao Yunbai to flee with his surviving disciples.
• Xue Yang used a jade mirror to block Deng Gang from entering the White Dragon River with rainbow light that scorched him.
• Deng Gang turned west toward Supreme Mystery Mountain and asked Liu Zhijian to use his mysterious means, then charged at him with his remaining strength.
• Liu Zhijian released a golden-white small sword from his black case and sent its sword light crashing down toward Deng Gang.

Xue Yang and Dong Linyuan reported the results of Supreme Mystery Mountain’s sword talisman to their superiors, revealing that the mountain’s strength had alarmed both the Xue Household and the dragonkind. Liu Zhijian returned to Supreme Mystery Mountain with strange black-and-red Qi, which Li Chengxuan identified as possibly [Resentment of the Myriad People].

• Xue Yang told the Xue Household ancestor that a [Purple Mansion]-level [Geng Metal] sword talisman had destroyed Deng Gang’s Human Pill, and the ancestor ordered the household to cultivate good relations with Supreme Mystery Mountain.
• Dong Linyuan fed the flood dragon’s body to the black fish demon general, then reported that a Supreme Mystery Mountain disciple had killed it with a [Geng Metal] sword talisman.
• The black fish demon general questioned Dong Linyuan about the [Kan Water] cultivator, and Dong Linyuan said he had invited the cultivator to Little Dragon Mountain and would prepare a Cultivation Method and spiritual resources.
• Dong Linyuan declined to invite the black fish demon general ashore, and the general returned to the sea to report to the king.
• Liu Zhijian reported to Li Chengxuan with the spent sword talisman’s remains, a damaged bamboo sword, and the strange Qi he had taken after Qiao Yunbai fled.
• Li Chengxuan examined the strange black-and-red Qi and said it seemed to be [Resentment of the Myriad People].