Chapter Summaries

Yang Linghu and the other cultivators fought their way through the evil creatures in Sanglu Valley, then cornered Zhang Tiansheng with Elder Yu. Tian Yu interrupted Zhang Tiansheng’s return to sanity, allowing him to flee into the valley, where a sudden surge of yin qi revealed an even stronger threat.

• Yang Linghu blocked a Fourth Layer of Qi Gathering evil creature while Yang Lingrui killed Zhang Yao and the other cultivators fought off the remaining creatures.
• The surviving cultivators converged at the valley entrance, and Yang Lingrui, Gao Hui, and Tian Yu joined Elder Yu in fighting Zhang Tiansheng.
• When Zhang Tiansheng briefly regained his will, Elder Yu ordered everyone to stop, but Tian Yu struck him and caused him to flee deeper into the valley.
• The yin qi surged toward the valley’s depths, and Elder Yu ordered the group to run as it erupted and swallowed cultivators who had not escaped.
• Elder Yu sent five Yang Family members to evacuate Qinghe Town, while Tian Yu sensed a Seventh Level of Qi Gathering presence within the valley.

Gao Hui broke through to the peak of the Sixth Level of Qi Gathering and joined Elder Yu to stop Zhang Tiansheng, a Seventh Level evil thing, from reaching Qinghe Town. When their attacks failed to hold it back, Gao Hui used a Divine Movement Talisman and the dangerous Spirit Burning Method to launch a True Yang attack, knocking it from the air.

• Tian Yu abandoned the fight and fled while Gao Hui broke through to the peak of the Sixth Level of Qi Gathering.
• Elder Yu and Gao Hui confronted Zhang Tiansheng as he rushed from Sanglu Valley toward Qinghe Town.
• Gao Hui used his Blazing Sun arts with Elder Yu's help to strike Zhang Tiansheng, but the evil thing broke free and continued toward town.
• Zhang Tiansheng's cloud of yin energy weakened Elder Yu's techniques, so Gao Hui asked Elder Yu for a Divine Movement Talisman.
• Gao Hui activated the talisman and used the Spirit Burning Method to unleash True Yang, knocking Zhang Tiansheng from the air.

Gao Hui and Elder Yu fought to delay the evil creature until Qinghe Town’s evacuation was complete, and Gao Hui was gravely wounded protecting the townspeople. He Shenglai arrived with reinforcements, killed the creature, and discovered it had consumed a Blood Pill.

• The enraged evil creature broke Elder Yu’s spell and attacked Gao Hui, who fought it with True Yang aura despite mounting injuries.
• Gao Hui held the creature off for nearly an hour so Yang Lingrui and the others could evacuate Qinghe Town, then was struck down while near the end of his strength.
• Elder Yu rescued Gao Hui and fled, but the creature broke free from the boulder and pursued them.
• He Shenglai arrived and pierced the creature with an airburst sphere, then restrained it with his steel whip.
• He Shenglai gave Gao Hui a Rejuvenation Pill and battered the creature until it died, revealing a Blood Pill in its dantian.

He Shenglai investigated the ruined Zhang Family compound, claimed its valuables for the Dynasty, and granted its territory to the Yang Family. After Gao Hui explained what happened, He Shenglai returned to Qinghe Town, where he forced Tian Yu to thank Gao Hui for saving his life.

• He Shenglai identified the Blood Core, then absorbed the pure yin energy from Sanglu Valley and searched the Zhang Family's opened cave abode.
• He Shenglai kept the cave abode's valuables for the Dynasty but gave Elder Yu the remaining Mother Jade as a keepsake.
• After Gao Hui awoke, he reported the events in Qinghe Town and Sanglu Valley to He Shenglai, who promised him foremost credit.
• He Shenglai granted the former Zhang Family territory to the Yang Family and ordered Elder Yu and Gao Hui to return to Qinghe with him.
• He Shenglai confronted Tian Yu in the town council hall and made him kowtow to Gao Hui for saving his life.

He Shenglai rewarded the Yang Family and reprimanded Tian Yu, then revealed to Gao Hui that the Dynasty was preparing to weaken the sects’ influence through local family forces. He recruited Gao Hui into Tiger Chasing with a secret cultivation technique, leaving him caught up in the Dynasty’s plans.

• He Shenglai gave the Yang Family the Marrow Cleansing Pill as compensation and offered Yang Lingrui a recommendation letter to serve the Dynasty.
• He Shenglai kicked Tian Yu and reassigned him to Chongtian City’s Penal Division for hiding the Sanglu Valley matter.
• After Tian Yu left, He Shenglai told Gao Hui that the Dynasty intended to focus on weakening domestic sects and explained how Song Kaiyang’s actions had angered a powerful official.
• He Shenglai said the Dynasty would use local families to contend with Solitary Moon Mountain and told Gao Hui that he was suited to join Tiger Chasing.
• He Shenglai gave Gao Hui a secret Dynasty cultivation technique and described the Dynasty’s power to elevate or reduce entire cities.

Yang Lingqing welcomed the Yang Family cultivators home after their successful mission in Qinghe, while Chen Yang received a valuable mother jade and began preparing for a future breakthrough. A month later, Gao Hui delivered the Dynasty’s reward and revealed that the He Family had added two premium treasures to draw the Yang Family into a major opportunity.

• Yang Lingqing confirmed the returning Yang Family members were safe, heard Elder Yu’s account, and rewarded the expedition team with Spirit Crystals.
• The Yang Family presented Chen Yang with a large mother jade, but he postponed consuming it until he had prepared for a year-long seclusion.
• Chen Yang chose the vacant cave dwelling beneath Sanglu Valley as his future retreat, and the Yang Family began clearing it and rebuilding its protective formation.
• Gao Hui delivered four thousand Spirit Crystals and explained that Lord He had added a premium Marrow Cleansing Pill and a premium Heaven’s Blessing Talisman in the He Family’s name.
• Gao Hui told Yang Lingqing that the He Family’s offer was part of a major Dynasty move and promised the Yang Family a rare opportunity for future development.

Yang Lingqing accepted the He Family’s support and agreed to its three requests, making the Yang Family a minor piece in the Dynasty’s plans. At Jingyun Peak, Su Lingyun learned the He Family was involved and looked forward to the Tiger Chasing Convention, while the little girl collapsed during her training.

• Yang Lingqing accepted Gao Hui’s cultivation resources and agreed to establish a branch in Sanglu Valley, help Yang Lingrui reach Late Qi Gathering within ten years, and avoid growing too close to the Su Family.
• Gao Hui explained that He Shenglai had taken an interest in the Yang Family after learning Yang Lingrui had met Su Lingyun at the Golden Scale Dharma Assembly.
• Pei Xuejian brought Su Lingyun a letter from the Dynasty, and Su Lingyun concluded that the He Family was behind the events.
• Su Lingyun discussed the He Family’s methods with Old Qin and expressed excitement about the upcoming Tiger Chasing Convention.
• The little girl dropped the stones she was holding, then went blank-eyed and collapsed.

Yang Lingqing strengthened the Yang Family’s position in the Qinghe region while Chen Yang prepared to enter seclusion and absorb the mother jade. In the first year of his seclusion, the Yang Family earned a Dynasty commendation, the Li Family collapsed, and Yang Lingrui reached the Fifth Level of Qi Gathering.

• Yang Lingqing moved the Yang Family’s branch to Sanglu Valley, equipped its cultivators, and brought the twelve independent families of the three-town region under its leadership.
• Liang Yi took the inferior Marrow Cleansing Pill and broke through to the Second Level of Qi Gathering.
• Elder Yu placed Chen Yang in a guarded cave dwelling, where he absorbed the mother jade and fell unconscious to digest it.
• The Yang Family joined the twelve families in hunting down three evil cultivators from the Eastern Wilderness and received a Dynasty commendation worth fifteen hundred merit points.
• Li Yuande and Li Qingwan entered Imperial Capital Chongtian City, Li Cheng was murdered, and the Li Family subsequently collapsed.
• Yang Lingrui broke through to the Fifth Level of Qi Gathering.

Yang Lingqing tested seventeen children and found no one with complete Qi Meridians, until Yang Linghu brought her Yang Shu, a talented boy from the main clan. After seeing through Yang Shu’s attempt to act dim-witted, she confronted him privately.

• Yang Lingqing tested the seventeen eligible children, but none had complete Qi Meridians.
• Yang Feiyun told Yang Lingqing that Yang Linghu had returned with a child from the main clan.
• Yang Linghu introduced Yang Shu, whose Qi Meridians were complete and whose aptitude was excellent, though others thought him dim-witted.
• Yang Lingqing took Yang Shu aside and watched him eat an apple while he pretended to be foolish.
• Yang Lingqing wiped rice from Yang Shu’s mouth, twisted his ear, and accused him of playing dumb.

Yang Lingqing exposed Yang Shu’s feigned foolishness and made him read the Yang Family’s history, showing him the hardships others had borne for the family. Yang Shu admitted his mistakes and began to take responsibility, while Yang Linghu recognized the first signs of a new talent in him.

• Yang Lingqing confronted Yang Shu about pretending to be an idiot, and he explained that he wanted to avoid family responsibilities.
• Yang Lingqing gave Yang Shu the Yang Family’s lineage histories, and he read about the family’s struggles and the dangers its elders had faced.
• Yang Lingqing recounted how she had once withdrawn from life after her mother died but changed after witnessing her family’s suffering.
• Yang Shu apologized for his arrogance, and Yang Lingqing ordered him to cultivate under Ancestor Yu and write monthly reports on his branch family.
• Yang Linghu noticed Yang Shu’s changed bearing and recognized signs of talent like those he had seen in the Ancestor and Lingqing.

Lü Lianshun moved his struggling family into Sanglu Valley under the Yang Family’s protection and brought Lü Fangxuan to cultivate alongside Yang Shu. Yang Lingqing knew Lü Fangxuan was scheming and intended him to give Yang Shu something to contend with.

• Lü Lianshun recalled the Lü Family’s decline and agreed to join the Yang Family after Yang Lingqing offered them a place in Sanglu Valley.
• Lü Lianshun brought Lü Fangxuan to meet Yang Lingqing, who assigned the boy to cultivate with Yang Shu as his cultivation companion.
• Lü Lianshun warned Lü Fangxuan to put the Yang Family’s interests and Yang Shu first, and Lü Fangxuan appeared to obey while hiding his own thoughts.
• Zhao Qi told Yang Lingqing he suspected Lü Fangxuan was two-faced, but she said the boy would give Yang Shu a useful challenge.

Three Solitary Moon Mountain disciples terrorized the Xie Family while trying to seize children for the sect, prompting Xie Chuan to summon the Yang Family. Yang Lingrui trapped the disciples in wind nets, and one secretly sent a message as the confrontation began.

• Yang Lingrui escorted the Lü Family to Sanglu Valley, while three Solitary Moon Mountain disciples descended to recruit new disciples.
• The three disciples received no welcome in Baishi City and found that independent families hesitated to send their children to the sect.
• The disciples wrecked the Xie Family’s ancestral hall and began forcibly seizing people, so Xie Chuan went to Pine Mountain for help.
• Yang Lingrui arrived with Xie Chuan, saw the destruction and dead clansmen, and trapped the three disciples in wind nets.
• The disciples threatened Yang Lingrui and secretly sent a strand of Spiritual Sense through a hidden spiritual treasure.

Yang Lingrui stayed behind to confront Solitary Moon Mountain’s reinforcements while Xie Chuan evacuated the Xie Family. After Zhao Qi delivered the Patriarch’s order authorizing the criminals’ deaths, Yang Lingrui killed the three disciples, provoking an enraged attacker.

• Yang Lingrui told Xie Chuan to evacuate the Xie Family, then sent him away to avoid danger and keep the Yang Family’s secret talismans concealed.
• Yang Lingrui waited as the three Solitary Moon Mountain disciples expected reinforcements to arrive.
• At dusk, the disciples’ message spirit bracelet reacted, and two figures appeared in the distance fighting with spell-light.
• Zhao Qi arrived and shouted that the Patriarch had authorized killing the criminals.
• Yang Lingrui beheaded the three Solitary Moon Mountain disciples, and someone shouted in rage and attacked him.

Gao Hui and Yang Lingrui fought off a Solitary Moon Mountain cultivator with Yang Lingrui’s talismans, but the wounded enemy fled and attacked Zhao Qi. Zhao Qi used his own Mountain-Splitting Talisman to kill the pursuer and blamed the death on fate.

• The Solitary Moon Mountain cultivator attacked Yang Lingrui, but his Adamantine Talisms failed to break through Yang Lingrui’s defenses before Gao Hui arrived to protect him.
• Gao Hui challenged the cultivator’s accusations and fought him, while the cultivator tried to reach Yang Lingrui and was struck by Yang Lingrui’s Mountain-Splitting Talisman and Gao Hui’s fire attack.
• The wounded cultivator fled using a Soaring Sky Talisman, and Yang Lingrui gave Gao Hui a Divine Movement Talisman to pursue him.
• The cultivator spotted Zhao Qi and charged at him, but Zhao Qi used the talisman Yang Lingqing had given him to strike the pursuer with a Mountain-Splitting Talisman.
• Zhao Qi burned the wounded cultivator with Fire Talismans and finished him with the Golden Light Technique, then said the man’s death was a tribulation his fate had ordained.

After Zhao Qi killed a Solitary Moon Mountain cultivator, Gao Hui and He Shenglai gave the sect’s envoys a Dynasty-backed account of the deaths and forced them to leave without further confrontation. He Shenglai praised the Yang Family’s preparations and said they should be rewarded.

• Zhao Qi showed Gao Hui and Yang Lingrui the burned remains of the Solitary Moon Mountain cultivator, and Gao Hui recovered the damaged storage pouch.
• Gao Hui took the corpses and made the deaths appear to have been caused by his Blazing Sun technique, while the Yang Family recalled its mine guards.
• A month later, two ninth-level Qi Gathering cultivators from Solitary Moon Mountain demanded an explanation from Gao Hui, but they found He Shenglai waiting in the Town Prefecture.
• He Shenglai claimed responsibility for the Junior Brother’s death, produced a Dynasty inspection writ, and intimidated the two envoys with five powerful willow leaves.
• He Shenglai refused to return the burned remains, and Gao Hui escorted the angry envoys out after they threatened to report the matter to their sect.
• He Shenglai praised the Yang Family for protecting Yang Lingrui and exchanging Dynasty merits for offensive talismans, and said they deserved a reward.

He Shenglai learned that Yang Lingrui had acted against Solitary Moon Mountain because of his bond with Li Cheng, then decided to cultivate the Yang Family as a potential ally. During a visit to the family, he gave Yang Lingqing the Spirit Nurturing Rain Seeking Technique to improve their spirit plants.

• He Shenglai heard that Yang Lingrui had been close to Li Cheng and understood why he hated Solitary Moon Mountain.
• He Shenglai decided to support the Yang Family and went with Gao Hui to visit them.
• Yang Lingqing welcomed He Shenglai and showed him the Yang Family's Forbidden Ground and spirit plant garden.
• He Shenglai criticized the Yang Family's crude spirit plant cultivation and taught Yang Lingqing the Spirit Nurturing Rain Seeking Technique.
• He Shenglai advised Yang Lingqing to prioritize the Four-leaf Spirit-Nesting Grass, which could reach the Qi Gathering Mid-stage within a few months.

The Yang Family assigned Liang Yi to cultivate spirit plants, welcomed the surviving Xie Family into its ranks, and celebrated Yang Linghu and Wu Tong’s marriage. Half a year later, Yang Shu visited his newly married brother and sister-in-law, accompanied by Lü Fangxuan, who had become his devoted attendant.

• The Yang Family entrusted Liang Yi with the Spirit Nurturing Rain Seeking Technique and made spirit-plant cultivation his primary duty.
• Xie Chuan brought the surviving Xie Family to Pine Mountain, swore a blood oath to follow the Yang Family, and joined the North Bank.
• The Yang Family arranged homes and livelihoods for the Xie Family as the North Bank’s population and settlements continued to grow, while Solitary Moon Mountain maintained its ban on disciples descending the mountain.
• Yang Linghu and Wu Tong married and settled in Sanglu Valley, where they expected the Yang Family’s first child with two cultivator parents.
• Lü Fangxuan recognized Yang Shu’s ability, apologized for his past schemes, and became his attendant as they both reached the First Level of Qi Gathering.
• Yang Shu arrived at a secluded courtyard and greeted his elder brother and sister-in-law.

Yang Shu visited Yang Linghu and Wu Tong, whose pregnancy kept her from cultivating, and learned how she had given her Marrow Cleansing Pill to him for the Yang Family’s future. The Dynasty then ordered the family to explore nearby secret lands, and Yang Linghu questioned Yang Lingqing’s plans for the Black Snake Secret Treasure.

• Yang Shu visited Yang Linghu and Wu Tong, who was nearing her fifth month of pregnancy and had paused her cultivation.
• Yang Linghu and Yang Shu discussed how Wu Tong had refused Yang Lingqing’s Marrow Cleansing Pill and given it to Yang Shu instead.
• Yang Shu delivered Yang Lingqing’s letter detailing the Dynasty’s plan to release twenty-four Secret Treasures and Treasure Lands to draw the sects into a new round of maneuvering.
• Yang Lingqing assigned Yang Lingrui, Xie Chuan, and Lü Lianshun to the Mayfly Treasure Land, while she would take Liang Yi and Zhao Qi to the Black Snake Secret Treasure.
• Yang Linghu reviewed the plan and worried about the dangers facing the Black Snake Secret Treasure team.

Yang Lingqing resolved the dispute over who would lead the Yang Family’s mission to the Secret Treasure Vault Land, and Yang Linghu and Yang Lingrui departed with a team after preparing for the dangers ahead. A month later, Chen Yang emerged from two years of seclusion at Qi Gathering Perfection and discovered that his newly created Spirit Pearls could seek out suitable cultivators.

• Yang Linghu argued that he should lead the mission, but Yang Lingqing resisted because Wu Tong was pregnant and the Dynasty’s secret order made the journey dangerous.
• Wu Tong sent Yang Lingqing a letter urging her to put the family’s affairs first, and Yang Lingqing ordered Yang Linghu and Yang Lingrui to lead the team departing in seven days.
• The Yang Family equipped the six travelers with talismans and pills, and Gao Hui escorted them beyond Wangyue City’s jurisdiction before Yang Lingqing and Wu Tong watched Yang Linghu leave.
• A month later, Yang Lingqing sensed that Chen Yang had emerged from seclusion, and Chen Yang discovered that all seven of his soul flames remained intact.
• Chen Yang reached Qi Gathering Perfection and tested a Spirit Pearl on Elder Yu, learning that it could pass through a cultivator and choose a suitable host.

Chen Yang bestowed Spirit Pearls on Yang Shu, Yang Lingqing, and Wu Tong’s unborn child, while discovering that the pearls aided cultivation and returned to him when their owners died. To gather enough power of wishes to break through to Condensation Origin, he ordered Elder Yu to establish Cheng Yang Halls and stone steles under the guise of honoring the Yang Family.

• Chen Yang summoned Yang Shu, who performed a Blood Burning Spirit Sacrifice and received a Spirit Pearl that greatly improved his cultivation.
• Chen Yang realized that Spirit Pearls connected their bearers to him through the power of wishes and would return to him if their bearers died.
• Elder Yu bestowed the name Yang Lingshu on Yang Shu at Chen Yang’s request.
• Chen Yang ordered Elder Yu to build Cheng Yang Halls and erect stone steles so worship from the Yang Family’s subjects would provide him with power of wishes.
• Chen Yang bestowed a Spirit Pearl on Yang Lingqing, enhancing her divine sense, then placed another in Wu Tong’s unborn child to strengthen its heart.