Chapter Summaries

The King of Huainan arranged compensation for Zhang Xuezhou after the demon feather treasure went missing, while worrying that the emperor’s Red Empyrean Sword obstructed his plans. Zhang Xuezhou reunited with Lady Yourong, then received the Golden Crow Feather and other gifts from Lei Bei, leaving his attempt to make the King of Huainan owe him a favor for another time.

• The King of Huainan told Lei Bei to offer Zhang Xuezhou two Holy Blood Pills and the demon feather Law Treasure as compensation for the lost burrowing treasure.
• The King of Huainan reflected on his plans and feared that the emperor’s Red Empyrean Sword left him unable to challenge the throne through the Fortune Technique.
• Zhang Xuezhou and Lady Yourong met privately, shared their sorrow over their hardships, and comforted each other.
• Lei Bei delivered the Holy Blood Pills, aged ginseng health-nourishing pills, and the feather treasure to Zhang Xuezhou.
• Zhang Xuezhou recognized the feather as the Golden Crow Feather he had tampered with and accepted that he would have to seek another chance to make the King of Huainan owe him a favor.

Zhang Xuezhou left Huainan for the Northern Border and encountered Dong Zhongshu and the King of Jiangdu on the official road. The King of Jiangdu invited Zhang Xuezhou to Jiangdu to investigate curiosities, while Dong Zhongshu hoped to use the invitation to grow closer to the king.

• Zhang Xuezhou left Huainan early and met Zhang Changgong on the road.
• Zhang Xuezhou encountered Dong Zhongshu, who was traveling toward Jiangdu, and told him he was bound for the Northern Border on official business.
• Dong Zhongshu began lecturing as the King of Jiangdu and his armed men approached, and the king told them to slow down and listen.
• The King of Jiangdu recognized Zhang Xuezhou from their Water Mansion expedition and asked how he had found it.
• Zhang Xuezhou explained that a book and a burrowing treasure had led him to the Water Mansion, and the King of Jiangdu invited him to help investigate curiosities in Jiangdu.
• Dong Zhongshu coughed to discourage Zhang Xuezhou from declining, hoping the invitation would help him approach the King of Jiangdu.

Zhang Xuezhou agreed to help the King of Jiangdu investigate rumors of water mansions and the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, after steering him toward Dong Zhongshu as a guide. Dong Zhongshu proposed inviting Gongsun Hong, recently dismissed and returned to his hometown, to help search the Eastern Sea.

• The King of Jiangdu offered Zhang Xuezhou a large reward and his cherished consort if he found a water mansion, and Zhang initially hesitated to accept.
• After the King mentioned the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, Zhang reconsidered and suggested that Dong Zhongshu’s knowledge could help locate a water mansion.
• Dong Zhongshu regaled the King and his party with legends about the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace but offered no concrete way to find it.
• Dong Zhongshu named his old friend Gongsun Hong as a potential guide, and Zhang told him that Gongsun had returned from his failed mission and been dismissed from office.
• The King of Jiangdu promised to invite Gongsun Hong, while Dong Zhongshu resolved to use the King’s interest in water mansions to get closer to him.

Zhang Xuezhou and Dong Zhongshu met Gongsun Hong in Guangling after the King of Jiangdu had him forcibly brought there to ask about the Eastern Sea Crystal Palace. Gongsun Hong revealed that a dragon king still patrolled the rivers, and he joined Dong Zhongshu’s effort to keep the King interested in searching for underwater abodes.

• The King of Jiangdu had Gongsun Hong brought to Guangling in ropes, and Dong Zhongshu freed him before the King asked about the Crystal Palace.
• Gongsun Hong told the King that the Eastern Sea Crystal Palace lay far from Jiangdu and was too deep for ordinary people to enter.
• Gongsun Hong explained that a dragon king still patrolled several major rivers but was difficult to find.
• Dong Zhongshu urged Gongsun Hong to help find an underwater abode, and Gongsun Hong recognized the opportunity and joined his side.

Dong Zhongshu persuaded Gongsun Hong to help locate an inhabited aquatic mansion in Jiangdu by offering to recommend him for a court career and give up his own advancement in Chang'an. Gongsun Hong revealed the mansion's location in the Changshui River, leaving the group ready to search for it.

• Gongsun Hong questioned why they should risk provoking the dragon race, and Dong Zhongshu explained that he sought an opportunity to advance his cultivation with the King of Jiangdu.
• Dong Zhongshu promised to recommend Gongsun Hong for a court post and to hold back his own prospects in Chang'an if Gongsun Hong helped him gain a foothold in Jiangdu.
• Zhang Xuezhou supported Dong Zhongshu's pledge, and Gongsun Hong became tempted by the prospect of a powerful ally in the Confucian School.
• Gongsun Hong revealed that an inhabited aquatic mansion lay in Jiangdu's Changshui River, a location he had heard about from a turtle demon in the Eastern Sea.
• Dong Zhongshu said he could clear away the obscuring veils, and Gongsun Hong agreed to guide them to the mansion.

Dong Zhongshu and his companions set out by boat to search for the Ninth Long River Water Mansion on behalf of the King of Jiangdu. After learning that the new emperor had obtained the Red Empyrean Sword and invited the vassal kings to view it, the King of Jiangdu grew excited about coming wars and considered bringing a dragon as tribute.

• Dong Zhongshu told the King of Jiangdu that they had found a likely water-mansion location and requested a boat, provisions, and clean clothes for the search.
• The King of Jiangdu supplied a tower ship and crew, then watched Dong Zhongshu and the others depart toward Gaoyou Great Lake to seek the Ninth Long River Water Mansion.
• A messenger told the King of Jiangdu that the new emperor had obtained the Red Empyrean Sword and invited the vassal kings to Chang'an City to admire it.
• The King of Jiangdu recognized the sword’s significance, anticipated wars against foreign lands, and hoped to reach the Sole Self Realm and become a conquering general.
• The King of Jiangdu decided that if Dong Zhongshu’s group found and caught a dragon, he would send some of it to the new emperor as tribute.

Zhang Xuezhou traveled with Dong Zhongshu and Gongsun Hong to investigate a possible water mansion in Gaoyou Great Lake, while preparing Lady Yourong and Zhang Changgong for his coming absence. Their search was interrupted when a crab demon attacked their boat, and Gongsun Hong spotted its massive pincer beneath the water.

• Zhang Xuezhou warned Dong Zhongshu to watch over him as they traveled toward Gaoyou Great Lake to investigate the water mansion of the dragon Ao Qing.
• Dong Zhongshu and Gongsun Hong called out Ao Qing’s name to locate the mansion, while Zhang Xuezhou reminded Lady Yourong and Zhang Changgong how to handle his coming absence.
• Zhang Xuezhou and Lady Yourong discussed his prospects for marriage and his hopes of providing his parents with a comfortable old age.
• A leak began sinking the boat, and Dong Zhongshu attacked the water with his Law Treasure fan.
• Gongsun Hong used his Water Technique to spot a huge black pincer and identify the attacker as a crab demon, likely from the water mansion.

Dong Zhongshu tracked the crab demon to a deep bay where Gongsun Hong began searching underwater for the hidden manor. After Gongsun Hong stayed submerged far longer than his stated limit, the group grew worried.

• Dong Zhongshu used the crab claw to track the crab demon to a point sixteen li away, where a formation blocked his sense.
• Dong Zhongshu and Gongsun Hong agreed to investigate the underwater manor’s location and obscuring barrier before informing the King of Jiangdu.
• The group followed the trail to a deep bay in Gaoyou Great Lake, where Gongsun Hong demonstrated his water-walking and diving skills.
• Gongsun Hong slipped beneath the water to investigate, and Zhang Xuezhou reflected on the limits of helping his companions advance.
• After Gongsun Hong remained underwater for thirty minutes without returning, Lady Yourong and Zhang Changgong worried that he had drowned, and Dong Zhongshu’s expression changed.

Zhang Xuezhou waited on the shore while Gongsun Hong and Dong Zhongshu investigated the waters, then tried to fill the deep area with rocks rather than risk entering it himself. A young water demon revealed that his father had captured both men and locked them in a water dungeon.

• Zhang Xuezhou urged Dong Zhongshu to wait for Gongsun Hong, but Dong Zhongshu eventually swam toward the cliff to search for him.
• When Dong Zhongshu failed to resurface, Zhang Xuezhou sent Lady Yourong and Zhang Changgong away from the shore and flew to the cliff.
• Zhang Xuezhou pushed rocks into the water, hoping to fill the deep area and force whatever lay beneath to respond.
• A young boy confronted Zhang Xuezhou, accusing him of smashing the entrance to his home.
• The boy told Zhang Xuezhou that his father had captured Gongsun Hong and Dong Zhongshu and was questioning them in a water dungeon.

Zhang Xuezhou encountered Ao Qing and his father, Ao Li, while pretending to be a Jingwei demon and filling in their lake. Ao Li invited him into the water palace, where Gongsun Hong and Dong Zhongshu were being held, and Zhang Xuezhou went along despite his fear of water.

• Zhang Xuezhou showed Ao Qing his demon wings, and Ao Qing introduced himself as Ao Li's son, the Great Dragon God of Rain.
• Ao Li appeared and asked Zhang Xuezhou to stop throwing stones into the lake, explaining that Gongsun Hong and Dong Zhongshu were alive and staying in Ao Qing's dwelling.
• Ao Li questioned Zhang Xuezhou about his identity, and Zhang Xuezhou claimed to be a Jingwei from the Xieluosi River Holy Land who had learned the Great Wilderness Creation Scripture.
• Ao Li formed a water lotus with his Water-Shaping Technique and invited Zhang Xuezhou into the water palace.
• Ao Qing boasted that Ao Li had defeated the Dragon Kings of the Five Lakes, and Zhang Xuezhou abandoned any thought of fighting as he stepped onto the water lotus.

Zhang Xuezhou visited Ao Qing’s water mansion and befriended him while discussing an adventure in an abandoned mansion. The two secretly drank Ao Li’s Saliva Wine, and its delayed effects began transforming Ao Qing and overwhelming Zhang Xuezhou.

• Ao Li brought Zhang Xuezhou to the Ninth Route Gaoyou Water Mansion, where Ao Qing proudly showed off the home he had furnished.
• Zhang Xuezhou asked Ao Qing about the mansion’s hidden treasures and offered to take him exploring the abandoned Huai River Water Mansion.
• Ao Qing brought out his father’s Saliva Wine, and he and Zhang Xuezhou challenged each other to drink.
• Ao Qing drank several jin before Zhang Xuezhou poured him the ten jin he requested.
• Ao Qing began to transform into his yao form, while Zhang Xuezhou felt heat, surging power, and dizziness from the wine.

After Zhang Xuezhou and Ao Qing drank the wrong wine, Ao Li discovered Zhang Xuezhou’s unusual lineage and tried to help him withstand the wine’s medicinal power. The chapter ended with Zhang Xuezhou barely breathing, so Ao Li placed his golden Inner Core in Zhang Xuezhou’s mouth.

• Zhang Xuezhou noticed the Poison Avoidance Art circulating after he and Ao Qing drank too much saliva wine, then called for help when Ao Qing collapsed.
• The flat-headed crab demon Xie Xie fetched Ao Li, who explained that they had drunk lovemaking saliva wine and examined both young men.
• Ao Li recognized Zhang Xuezhou’s feathers as evidence of the Technique Within the Clouds and suspected he was Lei Ming’s descendant from the Yedie River Holy Land.
• Ao Li slapped Zhang Xuezhou to help him absorb the wine’s medicinal power, but Zhang Xuezhou’s breathing became dangerously faint.
• Ao Li’s dragon breath restored Xie Xie’s severed arm but did not revive Zhang Xuezhou, so Ao Li placed his golden Inner Core in Zhang Xuezhou’s mouth.

After twelve days unconscious in Gaoyou Water Mansion, Zhang Xuezhou woke in the B13 Research Institute with his mental capacity greatly improved by Ao Li’s wedding wine. He began preparing a life-extending medicine for Qimeng Haige while agreeing to test Qimeng Haige’s R32 Catalyst.

• Zhang Xuezhou realized the wine had affected his soul and continued cultivating the fifth chapter of the Mental Strengthening Chapter as his mental capacity grew.
• Qimeng Haige anxiously waited at the B13 Research Institute, where armed forces had sealed off the area and rocket artillery was trained on the facility.
• Zhang Xuezhou woke and warned Qimeng Haige to wait patiently, then left his recovery pod and wrote a list of ingredients for a life-extending medicine.
• Zhang Xuezhou arranged for the ingredients to be purchased and proposed testing Qimeng Haige’s R32 Catalyst while they waited.
• Qimeng Haige agreed, and Zhang Xuezhou planned to work with Zuo Teng on testing the catalyst.

Zuo Teng sought to obtain the Zuo Household’s weak-gene technology materials to help Qimeng Haige refine the R32 Catalyst, while officials debated the danger posed by Qimeng Haige and the crisis unfolding in the Thousand Islands Alliance. The chapter ended with the officials learning that Zhang Xuezhou and Luo Burang were preparing research on lifespan genes, medicinal effects, and the Divine Mindset.

• Zuo Teng agreed to fetch the R32 Catalyst and related research materials for Zhang Xuezhou and Qimeng Haige, but officials stopped him on the road before letting him continue.
• Changkong Yinghao and the others discussed the Thousand Islands Alliance crisis, the falling fireballs, and the risk of needing help from dangerous outsiders like Qimeng Haige.
• Zhou Yueyan said Zhou Rihui expected to see Qimeng Haige off after a few days and revealed that Zhang Xuezhou was preparing a report on lifespan gene chains, medicinal effects, and the Divine Mindset.
• Zhou Yueyan explained that Luo Burang’s research supported Zhang Xuezhou’s work, prompting Changkong Yinghao and the others to criticize Luo Hui for keeping it secret.

Zuo Teng returned to the B13 Research Institute with the Zuo Household’s Weak Gene Technology and compared it with Zhang Xuezhou and Qimeng Haige’s research. He concluded that the R32 Catalyst offered a more sustainable path for strengthening weak genes and decided to pursue long-term cooperation with Zhang Xuezhou.

• Zhang Xuezhou and Qimeng Haige finished technical papers on the Basic Life-Extending Elixir and R32 Catalyst, then asked Zuo Teng to compare their work with the Zuo Household’s Weak Gene Technology.
• Qimeng Haige struggled to understand Zhang Xuezhou’s report, and Zhou Rihui suggested that it gave results without explaining the steps.
• Zuo Teng compared the research and found that the R32 Catalyst preserved the body’s potential for later Sequence advances, while the Zuo Household’s method risked exhausting it in a failed attempt.
• Zuo Teng concluded that the two approaches could complement each other and resolved to cooperate with Zhang Xuezhou over the long term.
• Zuo Teng decided he could hardly wait to test the R32 Catalyst on himself.

Zhang Xuezhou used a tour of the A9 Research Institute and a carefully staged demonstration to convince Qimeng Haige that his Life-Extending Elixir could prolong life. After Qimeng Haige took the first dose, Zhang Xuezhou left him with nine more pills and advice to nurture them over time.

• Zhang Xuezhou showed Qimeng Haige the A9 Research Institute and explained that the early-stage drug could extend a person’s remaining lifespan but could not guarantee decades of added life.
• Qimeng Haige became anxious about his age and urged Zhang Xuezhou to develop the medicine quickly, while Zhang promised to begin that night.
• Zuo Teng offered to supply materials and the A9 Laboratory so Zhang Xuezhou could make five or six doses of the R32 Catalyst within seven days.
• Zhang Xuezhou invited Qimeng Haige to watch him develop the medicine, and Qimeng Haige studied the process overnight without understanding its underlying principles.
• After a day and two nights, Qimeng Haige took the Life-Extending Elixir, and Zhang Xuezhou gave him the nine remaining pills with instructions to nurture them over time.

Zhang Xuezhou completed his medicine preparations while the Saliva Wine continued to enhance his mental power, then joined Qimeng Haige and Zuo Teng to test the R32 Catalyst. The chapter ended with Zuo Teng seeking gene sequencing and Zhang Xuezhou sensing his body’s genes awakening.

• Zhang Xuezhou completed his deal with Qimeng Haige and refined Tenfold Complete Great Tonic Pills and Potent Spirit-Forging Pills.
• Zuo Teng summoned Zhang Xuezhou from the laboratory to observe a researcher’s test at the A9 Research Institute.
• Qimeng Haige presented the R32 Catalyst and explained its short duration and high cost.
• Zhang Xuezhou and Zuo Teng injected the catalyst, and Zuo Teng went for gene sequencing.
• Zhang Xuezhou felt new vitality in his body and heard the green-headed duck squawk.

After confirming that the R32 Catalyst had revived his body, Zhang Xuezhou discussed Qinmeng Secret Stones and life extension with Qimeng Haige, who left to pursue one for himself. Changkong Yinghao then urged Zhang Xuezhou to share and advance his preliminary lifespan-extending technology, hoping it could help the elderly residents at the Twilight Years Mansion.

• Zhang Xuezhou confirmed that the R32 Catalyst had greatly improved his bodily perception and told Qimeng Haige he hoped they would work together again.
• Zhang Xuezhou revealed that a Qinmeng Secret Stone could multiply the effects of nurturing, and Qimeng Haige learned that Committee Member Zhou had possessed one.
• Qimeng Haige left with Zhou Rihui, intending to return to Huli Port and search Qinmeng for a Qinmeng Secret Stone.
• Changkong Yinghao questioned Zhang Xuezhou about the lifespan-extending technology he had traded to Qimeng Haige and explained that it could help the elderly residents at the Twilight Years Mansion.
• Changkong Yinghao pressed Zhang Xuezhou to show him the finished product and publish the research so development could begin as soon as possible.

Changkong Yinghao brought Changkong Luo a preliminary longevity pill produced by the A9 and B13 Research Institutes and urged him to consider it as another way forward. Changkong Luo accepted the pill, though he trusted Zhang Xuezhou more than his son and already relied on the Mental Strengthening Chapter to keep his mind stable.

• Changkong Yinghao received two pills from Zhang Xuezhou after hearing about the A9 and B13 Research Institutes’ lifespan research and its uncertain results.
• Changkong Yinghao went to the Twilight Years Mansion and called to his father, Changkong Luo, through the food delivery opening.
• Changkong Yinghao explained that Qimeng Haige had taken a finished pill back to Qinmeng in exchange for advanced Weak Gene Technology.
• Changkong Yinghao passed one pill to Changkong Luo and said he planned to have the other analyzed.
• Changkong Luo questioned the pill’s reliability but accepted it after deciding that an uncertain result might still offer another path.

Changkong Luo contacted Zhang Xuezhou through Song Fengying’s livestream and swallowed the Life-Extending Elixir while asking to become a test subject. He briefly sensed that the medicine had slowed his aging, but the sensation soon faded, leaving its actual duration uncertain.

• Changkong Luo tipped Song Fengying to arrange a private call with Zhang Xuezhou.
• Changkong Luo swallowed the Life-Extending Elixir in front of Zhang Xuezhou and asked to join the testing effort.
• Zhang Xuezhou agreed to let Changkong Luo serve as a test subject if he completed legal safeguards and accepted the risks.
• Changkong Luo sensed that his aging had briefly slowed, but the sensation faded before he could judge how long the effect lasted.