Painting the Mists: Volume 4: Painting the Mists, Books 10-12

Volume 4 of Patrick G. Laplante's cultivation epic drops Cha Ming into the Inkwell Plane, a richly layered world where Daoist arts and technology intertwine and the hierarchy between mortals, transcendents, and demigods is ruthlessly enforced. As a fresh ascendant stripped of his former standing, Cha Ming must prove himself from the ground up while guarding secrets that emperors and immortals would gladly kill to possess. Meanwhile, his companion Huxian and a pack of unruly demons navigate the treacherous customs of demonic society, bending rules that were never meant to be bent.

Adam Verner, who co-authored the series, brings an insider's precision to the narration across all three books and nearly 64 hours of runtime. His command of the ensemble cast keeps a sprawling world of factions and power levels coherent, and his pacing suits the genre's blend of introspection and explosive confrontation. Listeners already invested in the series will find the audio format rewards the long haul.