Chapter Summaries

Zhang Xuezhou arranged housing for the people of Zhang Household Village while he and Rong Tianding teased Li Shaojun about his grand promises of elixirs and immortality. After Rong Tianding left, Zhang Xuezhou revealed that an unseen listener had gone, and Li Shaojun realized the grand empress dowager’s Yang Corporeal Soul had been spying on them.

• Zhang Xuezhou and Rong Tianding discussed finding affordable houses in Old Tree Alley for the people of Zhang Household Village, and Zhang Xuezhou suggested having Zhang Changgong negotiate.
• Zhang Xuezhou said they would investigate whether Zhang Cigong could be released from his trouble at the King of Huainan’s Household.
• Li Shaojun demanded that Zhang Xuezhou and Rong Tianding discuss his visit to the Palace of Peace and Happiness, then boasted about the elixirs he would someday make.
• Zhang Xuezhou and Rong Tianding mocked Li Shaojun’s promises and claimed he had given them no miraculous pills, while Rong Tianding played along because he suspected someone was listening.
• After Rong Tianding went to fetch food, Zhang Xuezhou quietly said the listener was gone, and Li Shaojun feared the grand empress dowager’s Yang Corporeal Soul had been eavesdropping.

Zhang Xuezhou and Rong Tianding teased Li Shaojun about his success at the Palace of Peace and Happiness, then uncovered how he had inherited Daoist teachings from a strange presence. After hearing their account of Wei Shao'er’s childbirth, Li Shaojun suspected the Painting Demon had possessed the child and caused Gongsun Gui’s calamity, leaving Zhang Xuezhou reconsidering what was behind the birth.

• The Grand Empress Dowager left, and Li Shaojun told Zhang Xuezhou and Rong Tianding how he had won her trust and obtained the Longevity Instruction’s medicinal ingredients.
• Zhang Xuezhou urged Li Shaojun to discuss Daoist scriptures with the Grand Empress Dowager, then revealed that he remembered Li Shaojun’s secret inheritance.
• Li Shaojun explained that a strange presence in an old book had possessed him and led him to believe he was an orthodox Daoist inheritor.
• Rong Tianding and Zhang Xuezhou described the Painting Demon they had encountered, and Li Shaojun asked them to explain what happened during Wei Shao'er’s childbirth.
• Li Shaojun suggested that the Painting Demon had possessed Wei Shao'er’s child and caused Gongsun Gui’s calamity, prompting Zhang Xuezhou to reconsider his suspicions.

After learning that the Yin-Yang Mirror had partly relieved Li Shaojun of a strange influence, Zhang Xuezhou agreed to help him seek it out after they dealt with the medicine gourd. The two agreed to compete to find the gourd, leaving Li Shaojun confident of victory but anxious about managing his Daoist disguise without Zhang Xuezhou.

• Zhang Xuezhou and Li Shaojun discussed stealing the Yin-Yang Mirror to use against Bai and possibly the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon in Zhang Xuezhou's brain domain.
• Rong Tianding redirected them to the medicine gourd and urged Li Shaojun to investigate the people involved in Yi Shuo's parents' deaths.
• Li Shaojun suspected Zhang Xuezhou wanted the gourd too, and they agreed that whoever found it first could keep it.
• Li Shaojun said he would rest for two days before returning to the Palace of Peace and Happiness to pursue the gourd.
• Li Shaojun worried that the grand empress dowager might investigate him while Zhang Xuezhou was incapacitated, and he felt torn between wanting to beat Zhang to the gourd and wanting his company.

Yi Shuo told Zhang Xuezhou that the Palace of Peace and Happiness was reopening her parents’ gourd case, and he agreed to keep the gourd hidden. After checking on Zhang Cigong’s situation, Zhang Xuezhou discovered Jin Chang beneath his bed, bringing the meeting he had been waiting for.

• Yi Shuo told Zhang Xuezhou that the Palace of Peace and Happiness was reexamining the old gourd case and warned her not to make inquiries or visit Zheng Wukong.
• Zhang Xuezhou advised Yi Shuo to keep the gourd hidden and agreed to safeguard it rather than return it to the Palace of Peace and Happiness.
• Zhang Xuezhou noticed signs that Yi Shuo was nearing the Consciousness Creation Realm as she left happily.
• Zhang Xuezhou checked the guarded area around the King of Huainan's Household but did not try to reach Zhang Cigong.
• Zhang Xuezhou found Jin Chang crawling out from under his bed, and Jin Chang hoped he would fuse Yin and Yang and obtain material on the Sole Self Realm.

Jin Chang persuaded Zhang Xuezhou to stop dwelling on his illness and prepare to break through to the Divine Ability Realm in the Yin-Yang School’s Sacred Land. He remained uncertain about his own prospects of reaching the True Self Realm, but was determined to take Zhang Xuezhou to the cultivation ground.

• Jin Chang complained about Zhang Xuezhou’s long bouts of sleep, then comforted him by citing the Daoist patriarch Zhuang Zhou, who was rumored to sleep for three years at a time.
• Zhang Xuezhou challenged Jin Chang to bring Zhuang Zhou or a Daoist School heir as proof, and Jin Chang refused to play along.
• Jin Chang urged Zhang Xuezhou to cultivate diligently, explaining that the Sacred Land’s Spiritual Qi would give him a rare chance to enter the Divine Ability Realm.
• Zhang Xuezhou agreed to follow Jin Chang’s lead and focus on reaching the Divine Ability Realm rather than worrying about his illness.
• Jin Chang cursed Zhu Jiuyin for imprisoning Zou Bugui, then insisted there could be no failure and blustered about reaching the True Self Realm if Zhang Xuezhou gave him the final part of the Yin Yang Nine Heavens Sect’s Realm Technique.
• Jin Chang decided to take Zhang Xuezhou to the cultivation ground, hoping its Spiritual Qi could push him into the Divine Ability Realm.

Zhang Xuezhou traveled north toward Mount Tai with Jin Chang and Rong Tianding, while Rong Tianding used his corpse-control technique to manage the carriage and earned Jin Chang’s favor. Jin Chang told him about a hidden Underworld site on Mount Tai, leaving Rong Tianding hopeful that the journey would bring him a chance to advance.

• Zhang Xuezhou set out from Chang'an with Jin Chang, Rong Tianding, and Yi Shuo's medicine gourd after his other affairs had mostly settled.
• The carriage overturned at night, and Rong Tianding used his Corpse Transformation Technique to calm the horses and take over driving.
• Jin Chang recognized Rong Tianding's technique as a Shijiao School practice and told him of a secret Underworld site on Mount Tai where he could subdue ghost kings.
• Jin Chang gave Rong Tianding cultivation pointers, and Rong Tianding felt his progress toward the True Spirit Realm strengthen.

Zhang Xuezhou woke at the B13 Research Institute to find a crowd of young elites and their allies waiting for him. As the fallout from Zhang Qiao'en's rebellion reshaped their families and alliances, Zhu Shengnan and others gravitated toward Zhang Xuezhou's group, while the gathering watched a livestream.

• Zhang Xuezhou reflected that his own cultivation had depended on others' teachings and unusual circumstances, making him unable to reliably guide Rong Tianding.
• Zhang Xuezhou woke from his recovery and heard people outside the lounge celebrating and calling for him to open the door.
• Zhu Shengnan greeted Zhang Xuezhou roughly, then considered how the rebellion's deaths had weakened her family's position and pushed her to seek allies among his group.
• Zhang Xuezhou greeted Zhu Shengnan and asked why so many people had come to the B13 Research Institute.
• Wang Xuezhen explained that the crowd had gathered there to watch a livestream, and Zhang Xuezhou recognized the complicated web of connections around the Zhang Household.

Zhang Xuezhou watched the Qing'an Province Youth Challenge Tournament broadcast while discussing Zhang Manqian’s championship, combat techniques, and medicines. The chapter ended as Ren Anran appeared at the tournament venue.

• Zhang Xuezhou greeted the younger generation without trying to form a faction, then watched the Qing'an tournament broadcast while eating.
• Zhang Xuezhou reviewed Zhang Manqian’s Guiluo Province championship footage and assessed how her True Spirit Realm locking ability had strengthened her fighting.
• Zhang Manqian told Zhang Xuezhou that the Spirit-Forging Pill’s hallucinatory effects hindered her cultivation, and he said he could not safely change the medicine.
• Zhang Xuezhou urged Zhang Manqian and the others to keep practicing the Poison Avoidance Instruction, while Zhang Manqian described its difficulty and her progress with the Realm Technique.
• Someone called out that Ren Anran had appeared, and Zhang Xuezhou and Zhang Manqian switched the visual display to the live broadcast.

Zhang Xuezhou and Zhang Manqian watched Ren Anran defend her championship in Qing'an Province’s underwater arena, where she faced eight unknown challengers. They also spotted Ning Que among the Qing'an contestants and recognized how quickly his strength had advanced.

• Zhang Xuezhou reviewed the livestream and learned that Ren Anran faced eight challengers in Qing'an Province’s sprawling underwater competition venue.
• Song Fengying introduced the venue and Ren Anran, while worrying about her and limiting her screen time to avoid affecting her.
• Zhang Manqian and Zhang Xuezhou watched Ren Anran choose a position by an artificial rockery and inspect her firearm as a sharkskin-clad contestant moved through the pools.
• Zhang Xuezhou recognized Ning Que on the broadcast and noted that he had become a Qing'an contestant after winning the sequencing group at the Sequence Grand Gathering.
• Zhang Xuezhou explained that Ning Que’s talent and new resources had fueled his rapid progress, and Zhang Manqian said she envied geniuses like him.

Ren Anran defeated Qing'an Province's Zheng Dengxian with pinpoint shots, alarming the contestants who were scheduled to face her. Ning Que wrestled with whether to yield, but his ambition to become an Alternate Sequence Committee Member pushed him toward competing.

• Ren Anran surfaced Zheng Dengxian with a single shot after he displayed his diving ability, and Song Fengying announced his defeat.
• Zheng Dengxian drew his pistol after refusing to leave the arena, but Ren Anran shot his trigger finger and threatened to shoot him in the eye until he conceded.
• Zhu Zilong and the waiting contestants worried about facing Ren Anran and discussed tactics, while Zhu Zilong put on protective goggles.
• A contestant asked Ning Que to repeat the dramatic reversals he had performed on television, and Ning Que thought about his connection to Zhang Xuezhou and his earlier climb through the competition.
• Ning Que considered yielding to Ren Anran but decided he could not give up his chance to become an Alternate Sequence Committee Member.

Ren Anran swept through Qing'an’s contestants until Ning Que entered the arena and proved immune to her Law Power lock. Ning Que closed in and forced Ren Anran to retreat, leaving their match unresolved but ending the belief that she was unbeatable.

• Ren Anran defeated Zhu Zilong, Wang Congcong, Chen Dao, and other Qing'an contestants, while Song Fengying’s commentary criticized those who refused to accept defeat.
• Ning Que advanced toward Ren Anran without diving, and Zhang Xuezhou realized that Ren Anran’s Law Power lock had no effect on him.
• Zhang Xuezhou worried that Ning Que’s immunity came from Luo Zhong’s influence and recognized that Ning Que’s close-combat skills threatened Ren Anran.
• Ren Anran retreated as Ning Que closed in, and the two exchanged gunfire while dodging for cover.
• The Qing'an Province reporter announced that Ning Que had lasted one minute and twenty seconds and shattered the myth that Ren Anran was unbeatable.

Ren Anran used the underwater terrain to defeat Ning Que and retain her place as Western Capital City's defending champion. After Zhen Zimo was quickly eliminated, the tournament moved closer to its conclusion.

• Zhang Xuezhou told Zhang Manqian that Ning Que had strong counters to Ren Anran, but her superior Sequence level and endurance made the match uncertain.
• Ren Anran evaded Ning Que across the venue, then submerged herself in the pool where his mental power could not easily locate her.
• Ren Anran surprised Ning Que at the pool’s edge and won after pressing a sealed-bag-wrapped gun to his waist; Ning Que conceded rather than risk a counterattack.
• Ren Anran praised Ning Que’s progress and predicted he could win an Alternate Sequence Committee Member seat in four years, while Ning Que credited Brother Zhou for showing him the way.
• Zhen Zimo entered the arena after the break and was shot out within thirty seconds, leaving Ren Anran’s remaining challengers with little time to change the tournament’s outcome.

After Ren Anran defended her arena title, the committee members reconsidered their training and asked Zhang Xuezhou how mental strength affected marksmanship. Zhang Xuezhou explained the connection and pointed them toward the Mental Strengthening Chapter, while keeping the Realm Technique out of the discussion.

• Ren Anran eliminated all eight challengers and secured her place as an Alternate Sequence Committee Member.
• Zhu Shengnan studied Ning Que’s old acting clips and realized that former committee members had hidden genuine martial skill in The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.
• Zhu Shengnan and several others felt their confidence shaken as they recognized that Gene Sequence holders like Ning Que could surpass them.
• Jiang Feng and Zhu Kuang asked Zhang Xuezhou why he and Ren Anran could shoot accurately and why Ning Que had dodged Ren Anran’s bullets.
• Zhang Xuezhou explained that marksmanship relied on mental strength and said he and Ren Anran used suppressive tactics because their mental strength was unusually high.
• Zhang Xuezhou directed the committee members to study the Mental Strengthening Chapter at the Twilight Years Mansion instead of using the Realm Technique to bind them together.

Zhang Xuezhou and Zhang Manqian hosted young people from prominent Lineages who hoped to build independent futures around the North Rehe Research Institute. The gathering was interrupted when Zhang Xuezhou learned that Pei Jing had developed symptoms of the twilight years and Ren Anran had joined the team sent to apprehend him.

• Young people gathered at the North Rehe Research Institute to congratulate Zhang Xuezhou and Zhang Manqian and discuss forming an alliance there.
• Zhang Xuezhou declined to host everyone formally because of his health, while Zhu Shengnan and others explained why they planned to leave their Lineages and become independent.
• Zhang Manqian told Zhang Xuezhou that the young people wanted to escape the futures they could foresee and become their own backers.
• Zhang Xuezhou received an urgent message from Ren Anran that Pei Jing had developed symptoms of the twilight years.
• Ren Anran was assigned to a special operation team to apprehend Pei Jing after he began instinctively hunting those he perceived as threats.

Zhang Xuezhou warned Ren Anran to keep Song Fengying away from Pei Jing’s rampage in Qing'an Province, then accepted Zhu Shengnan’s request to spar. The spar ended instantly when Zhang Xuezhou’s mental suppression left Zhu Shengnan unable to reach him, and she conceded.

• Zhang Xuezhou messaged Ren Anran to keep Song Fengying away from the hunt for Pei Jing and discussed the response with Zhang Manqian.
• Zhu Shengnan asked Zhang Xuezhou to spar so she could understand the gap between their abilities.
• Zhang Xuezhou agreed to fight Zhu Shengnan in the reception hall and had Jiang Feng count them down.
• Zhu Shengnan charged and struck at Zhang Xuezhou, but each blow shattered an apparent image while he remained untouched four meters away.
• Zhu Shengnan conceded after realizing Zhang Xuezhou’s mental suppression prevented her from reaching him.

Zhang Xuezhou defeated Zhu Shengnan by trapping her in an illusion, while Jiang Feng and Zhen Mei discussed their admiration for him. A message then called Zhang Xuezhou to Qing'an.

• Zhang Xuezhou explained that his intimidation had made Zhu Shengnan relive the challenge, and Zhu admitted she had lost without being able to strike.
• Jiang Feng realized Zhang Xuezhou had likely helped defeat Sequence Holders at Jianing Hall and addressed him as Brother Zhang.
• Zhen Mei teased Jiang Feng about liking Zhang Xuezhou, while Jiang said she was focused on surpassing Zhang Qiao'en before considering family.
• After the challenge stirred discussion, Zhen Mei read a message on Zhang Xuezhou's communicator telling him to come quickly to Qing'an.

After Ren Yisheng invited Zhang Xuezhou to help deal with Pei Jing in Qing'an, Zhang Xuezhou set out with Zhou Rihui, leaving Zhang Manqian and the others behind. Back at the institute, the group discussed the danger and sought Zuo Denggao's advice about separating from their Lineages.

• Ren Yisheng invited Zhang Xuezhou to Qing'an to help with Pei Jing, and Zhang Xuezhou asked Zhou Rihui and Zhou Yueyan to join him.
• Zhang Xuezhou boarded an aircraft sent by Li Yingbo and left for Qing'an, while Changkong Yinghao and Changkong Yinglian stayed in Western Capital City.
• Zhen Mei and Zhang Manqian told the others what little they knew, and Zhu Shengnan questioned whether the situation in Qing'an involved rebels defying Alliance States policy.
• Zhu Shengnan and the others decided to explore becoming independent and began asking Zuo Denggao about dividing their Lineage assets.
• Zuo Denggao answered their questions amiably, though he privately thought they were foolish to give up their Lineages.

Ren Yisheng, Li Yingbo, and Zhang Xuezhou weighed the dangers of sending help to Qing'an Province, where Pei Jing might be faking his twilight years to lure them into a trap. Zhang revealed that Zhou Rihui and the Changkong siblings were ready to fight, giving Western Capital City enough strength to respond as the group prepared to deal with Pei Jing and his allies.

• Zhang Xuezhou arrived at Jishi Medical Center and joined Ren Yisheng and Li Yingbo's discussion about Pei Jing.
• Ren Yisheng and Li Yingbo warned that Pei Jing might be faking his twilight years to lure Western Capital City's forces into an attack while leaving the city vulnerable.
• Zhang Xuezhou asked about Pei Jing's combat abilities and learned that he could close a distance of twenty meters in an instant with his sword.
• Zhang Xuezhou revealed that Zhou Rihui had reached the Sixth Sequence and would help.
• Zhang Xuezhou confirmed that the Changkong siblings were in good health and could fight at their former strength.
• Ren Yisheng realized that the three top Sixth Sequence experts could defend Western Capital City while confronting Pei Jing and his faction.

Ren Yisheng divided the forces to confront Pei Jing’s two-pronged scheme, taking Zhang Xuezhou and others to Qing'an Province while Changkong Yinghao and Changkong Yinglian stayed to defend Western Capital City. The siblings worried that Ren Yisheng’s group might fail—and that Zhang Xuezhou might die before healing their injuries.

• Ren Yisheng explained that Pei Jing’s plan threatened them whether they went to Qing'an Province or stayed in Western Capital City, and Li Yingbo agreed they should take precautions.
• Ren Yisheng summoned Changkong Yinghao and Changkong Yinglian, who were pretending to be injured, and asked them to defend Western Capital City while he went after Pei Jing.
• Changkong Yinghao and Changkong Yinglian warned that Pei Jing was a formidable swordsman and that Qing'an Province was his home turf, but Ren Yisheng’s group relied on Zhou Rihui to keep him occupied.
• Ren Yisheng, Li Yingbo, and Zhang Xuezhou departed for Qing'an Province as the Changkong siblings prepared to defend the Twilight Years Mansion against an attack.
• After the aircraft left, Changkong Yinghao and Changkong Yinglian realized Zhang Xuezhou was going with them and feared that his death would end their chance to reach the Seventh Sequence.

Li Yingbo and a group of committee members arrived in Qing'an Province to deal with Pei Jing’s supposed old-age rebellion. As they traveled toward Willow Garden, they remained wary that Pei Jing might be feigning madness and waited for Ren Yisheng to judge the situation.

• Li Yingbo brought committee members from Western Capital City to Qing'an Province after declaring that they would suppress the Sequence Holders’ rebellion.
• Pei Ying welcomed the group in mourning attire and said his father, Pei Jing, had become uncontrollable.
• Qin Wenhan reported that twenty-five people had died and that Pei Jing remained missing inside the vast, partially searched Willow Garden.
• Qin Wenhan said Song Bu'er had suggested installing temporary surveillance equipment to help locate Pei Jing.
• Qin Wenhan warned Li Yingbo to be careful as they drove toward Willow Garden, and Li Yingbo noted that Ren Yisheng’s abilities might explain their changed route.
• Li Yingbo and Qin Wenhan waited for Ren Yisheng to determine whether Pei Jing’s condition was genuine or a deception.