Chapter Summaries

Lin Xuan continued studying the Ink Moon Tribe secret art while Zhou Mian and Cao Yue worried that his presence would disrupt their plans to provide disciples for a blood sacrifice. Zhou Mian recounted how they had awakened the ancient Blood Demon Venerable, whose body and power were now depleted, and how the Venerable had turned his attention to the couple.

• Lin Xuan closed his eyes and studied the secret art while Yue'er began meditating beside him.
• Cao Yue suggested killing Lin Xuan, but Zhou Mian refused because he was Tong Yu's prized disciple and the sect's young master.
• Zhou Mian told Cao Yue how they had discovered an ancient cave, opened its coffin, and been captured by the creature inside.
• Blood Demon Venerable claimed he was an ancient Nascent Soul cultivator who had fused with a demonic beast and survived in false death for a million years.
• Zhou Mian explained that Blood Demon Venerable had awakened them but was now physically decayed and nearly out of magical power, so he had set his sights on the couple.

Zhou Mian and Cao Yue worried about their demonic cultivation and Lin Xuan’s arrival, while Lin Xuan studied a poisonous flame technique from the Ancient Fragmentary Scripture. He chose to keep considering the dangerous method, which required consuming an Absolute Poison Pill.

• Zhou Mian reassured Cao Yue that the Devil Infant Art was worth the risks, and said he would seek mortal sacrifices instead of using sect disciples.
• Cao Yue reported that Liu Xin and Lu Ying'er had visited Lin Xuan, and Zhou Mian ordered them monitored while keeping the focus on Lin Xuan.
• Lin Xuan recognized the spies watching his pavilion but ignored them as he prepared poisonous herbs taken from Star Palace.
• Lin Xuan studied the poisonous flame technique in the Ancient Fragmentary Scripture and learned that it could threaten even powerful cultivators, but required an Absolute Poison Pill.
• Yue'er warned Lin Xuan against cultivating the dangerous technique, but Lin Xuan picked up the Jade Slip again and said he had other reasons to pursue it.

Lin Xuan refined an Absolute Poison Pill and endured its toxicity to prepare it for fusion with his Pure Yang Pill Fire. After a day of painstaking work, he completed the fusion, leaving a strange-colored flame floating before him.

• Lin Xuan told Yue'er he would risk consuming the Absolute Poison Pill to avoid weakening his cultivation resolve, and he began refining it in the Purple Dragon Cauldron.
• Lin Xuan finished refining the pills overnight, recovered his magic power, and swallowed one Absolute Poison Pill.
• Lin Xuan used the Jade Slip's secret method to contain and refine the poison inside his dantian over two days, then told Yue'er he needed to fuse it with his Pure Yang Pill Fire.
• Lin Xuan brought the poison mist and silver pill fire together and continually fed them magic power and pills as he worked to fuse them.
• After a full day of cultivation, Lin Xuan completed the fusion, producing a fist-sized flame of an unfamiliar color.

Lin Xuan cultivated the Azure Phantom Nether Fire while Zhou Mian and Cao Yue resumed their sacrifices to restore Blood Demon Venerable. The chapter ended with Lin Xuan achieving slight mastery of the fire as terror spread through the Branch Altar.

• Lin Xuan explained that the Azure Phantom Nether Fire would grow stronger as he refined the furnace of Absolute Poison Pills, then continued cultivating with Yue'er.
• Zhou Mian and Cao Yue watched Lin Xuan’s long seclusion and, after their own cultivation began to suffer, decided to resume their old plan.
• After Lin Xuan had been secluded for sixty days, disciples and Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators were killed in new attacks at the Branch Altar.
• Zhou Mian confronted Blood Demon Venerable at a cave, questioned his conspicuous killings, and watched as the Venerable enveloped him and Cao Yue in demonic mist.
• Lin Xuan completed his cultivation and achieved slight mastery of the Azure Phantom Nether Fire, which he considered a powerful trump card.

Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin were attacked by Blood Demon Venerable’s Spirit Division Puppet, but Yue'er arrived and unleashed the power of her black banner against it. The chapter left Yue'er's ghostly attack surging toward the puppet as its claw shadows met the exploding pythons.

• Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin reflected on how Lin Xuan’s pills and cultivation method had advanced their cultivation over the past two months.
• The Spirit Division Puppet broke into their stone house and attacked the Earth-Grade Spirit Talisman barrier with its Ghost Fork.
• The puppet transformed the Ghost Fork into a giant, skull-headed weapon and prepared to strike the weakening barrier.
• Yue'er appeared, summoned giant black pythons from her banner, and sent them toward the puppet.
• The pythons exploded into countless threads that wound toward the puppet and its claw shadows.

Lin Xuan arrived in time to subdue the Puppet attacking Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin, then praised their cultivation and offered them guidance. As he left at dawn, Yue'er warned him that Lu Ying'er seemed ambitious.

• Yue'er captured the Puppet with her Magic Banner after it attacked Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin.
• Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin realized Yue'er was a ghost, but Lin Xuan arrived and stopped Yue'er from frightening them.
• Lin Xuan praised Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin's progress, gave Lu Ying'er spiritual liquid, and answered their cultivation questions through the night.
• Lin Xuan left the women's stone house at dawn, and Yue'er warned him that Lu Ying'er had shown ambition.

Lin Xuan explained why he trusted Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin, then set out to investigate the hidden monster behind the attacks. He planned to capture Zhou Mian and Cao Yue and use Soul-Searching Technique to learn where the monster's true body was.

• Lin Xuan told Yue'er that Lu Ying'er would not betray him because of their Blood Pact and because betrayal would bring her no benefit.
• Lin Xuan explained that Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin's different talents would make them useful partners in managing his Secret Shop.
• Lin Xuan left the Branch Altar to seek the monster's true body, saying he would avenge the sect's slain disciples if he could do so safely.
• Lin Xuan told Yue'er that Zhou Mian and Cao Yue were absent from the Branch Altar and that he planned to seize them and use Soul-Searching Technique.
• Lin Xuan guessed that Zhou Mian and Cao Yue had gone to meet the Old Devil, whose true body might be unable to move because it was performing a ritual or had been injured.

Lin Xuan prepared an ambush for Zhou Mian and Cao Yue, then noticed their auras had grown increasingly demonic despite their rising power. As they entered his formation, Lin Xuan and Yue'er began their attack, leaving the couple surrounded and uncertain who had set the trap.

• Lin Xuan laid a formation in a wasteland and hid in a crude cave to wait for Zhou Mian and Cao Yue.
• Lin Xuan and Yue'er sensed that Zhou Mian and Cao Yue's auras had become more demonic since they last encountered them, though their cultivation had also strengthened.
• Zhou Mian and Cao Yue discussed the destruction of the Venerable's Spirit Division Puppet and feared the Young Sect Master had discovered their plan.
• Lin Xuan activated his formation as Zhou Mian and Cao Yue entered it, sending hundreds of fireballs down at them.
• Zhou Mian summoned a shield and Cao Yue used her Jade Hairpin to defend them, while Yue'er vanished and Lin Xuan summoned the Floating Cloud Falling Snow Sword.

Lin Xuan ambushed Zhou Mian and Cao Yue, then fought them as they unleashed demonic arts and powerful treasures. As Yue'er appeared beside Cao Yue and attacked at close range, Cao Yue could only raise a Spirit Power Shield to defend herself.

• Lin Xuan's attack struck Zhou Mian's shield, and Cao Yue used her Jade Hairpin to block a blue treasure's blow.
• Lin Xuan revealed himself and attacked Zhou Mian, who and Cao Yue responded with Blood Demon Venerable's evil arts.
• Cao Yue summoned her Mysterious Crystal Iron Mandarin Duck Blades, but Lin Xuan's shield and Jade Flute held them off.
• Yue'er appeared beside Cao Yue and spat out a thread of spiritual power at close range.
• Cao Yue hastily raised a Spirit Power Shield against Yue'er's attack.

Lin Xuan and Yue'er defeated Zhou Mian and Cao Yue, but Zhou Mian began showing signs of a strange qi deviation. Lin Xuan realized the crisis seemed different from ordinary qi deviation.

• Yue'er struck Cao Yue between the brows, sealed her magic power, and made her fall unconscious.
• Lin Xuan charged Zhou Mian and used the Azure Phantom Nether Fire to seize and melt his bonded magic treasure.
• Zhou Mian failed to recall the melting treasure and suffered a painful backlash when it was destroyed.
• Yue'er reunited with Lin Xuan and confirmed that Cao Yue was alive and restrained.
• Lin Xuan noticed Zhou Mian's demonic energy turning violent and recognized signs of qi deviation, though the symptoms seemed unusual.

Lin Xuan and Yue'er fought Zhou Mian as cultivation deviation transformed him into a powerful demonic monster. When Zhou Mian revealed a sinister black infant resembling a Nascent Soul, Lin Xuan and Yue'er faced a far greater threat than they had expected.

• Zhou Mian's body swelled and grew black-red armor and a bone spur as demonic qi transformed him.
• Lin Xuan struck Zhou Mian with the Floating Cloud Falling Snow Sword, and Zhou Mian smashed it aside with his fist, injuring his arm.
• Zhou Mian regenerated his arm and attacked with a black beam that became a centipede, while Lin Xuan countered with the Beast Soul Treasure's giant python.
• Lin Xuan and Yue'er joined forces, attacking Zhou Mian with the Gourd Artifact's nine fiery pillars and the Beast Soul Banner's beasts and spells.
• Zhou Mian hammered his chest and summoned a black infant with his likeness, frightening Lin Xuan and prompting Yue'er to suggest they flee.

Zhou Mian was transformed into a powerful demon and attacked Lin Xuan, who fought back with his Refined Corpses and treasures while Yue'er held the monster off. Lin Xuan prepared further defenses and attacks as Yue'er bought him time, but the battle remained unresolved.

• The Devil Infant entered Zhou Mian, transforming him into an armored monster with greatly increased strength.
• Lin Xuan summoned Refined Corpses and attacked Zhou Mian, while dodging the monster's enormous centipede-like projectile.
• Zhou Mian bound and devoured an Iron-Armored Refined Corpse, growing more ferocious, and Lin Xuan made two corpses self-detonate before recalling the survivors.
• Lin Xuan brought out several Ancient Treasures and jade-green flame as Yue'er repeatedly trapped Zhou Mian in demonic fog to keep him away.
• Yue'er continued delaying Zhou Mian despite the heavy toll on her magic power, giving Lin Xuan time to prepare.

Lin Xuan used the Spirit-Absorbing Mirror and Immortal Binding Ball to restrain Zhou Mian, then sent the Azure Phantom Nether Fire into his body and destroyed his demonized shell. Zhou Mian's Demon Infant escaped his body but was trapped by Yue'er, leaving Lin Xuan to seal it with a talisman.

• Lin Xuan distracted Zhou Mian with the Floating Cloud Falling Snow Sword, the Beast Soul Treasure, and the Spirit-Absorbing Mirror, then secretly used the Immortal Binding Ball to bind him.
• Lin Xuan transformed the Azure Phantom Nether Fire into a snake and sent it into Zhou Mian's mouth, where its poison began melting his body from within.
• Zhou Mian expelled his Demon Infant, and Lin Xuan burned the weakened demonized shell to dust.
• The Demon Infant fled, but Yue'er trapped it in a giant black net.
• Lin Xuan sent a talisman through the net and attached it to the Demon Infant's forehead.

After defeating the Devil Infant, Lin Xuan searched Cao Yue’s soul and learned that the crisis involved Blood Demon Venerable and the mysterious Devil Infant Art. He chose not to pursue the dangerous Nascent Soul demon, but left with the Mandarin Duck Blades for Yue'er and a strong interest in the new cultivation method.

• Lin Xuan wounded the Devil Infant with his Demon-Trapping Talisman and Sword Rays, then Yue'er captured it with the Beast Soul Banner.
• Lin Xuan used the Soul-Searching Technique on Cao Yue, killed her, and burned her corpse after learning what she knew.
• Lin Xuan discovered that Zhou Mian’s transformation involved Blood Demon Venerable and decided not to risk confronting the Nascent Soul demon for unknown treasures.
• Lin Xuan gave the Mandarin Duck Blades to Yue'er and focused on the Devil Infant Art, which created a realm between Core Condensation and Nascent Soul.

Lin Xuan decided to return to the Branch Altar to rescue Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin and recover its treasures, confident that Blood Demon Venerable could not leave Ancient Cave. When he arrived, he found the altar under attack by unfamiliar cultivators, while Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin faced a powerful Foundation Establishment opponent.

• Lin Xuan explained to Yue'er that he would return to the Branch Altar, rescue Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin, and arrange for the altar to relocate.
• Lin Xuan saw flames and fighting near the Branch Altar, then used his divine sense to discover brocade-robed cultivators attacking Spirit Herb Mountain's disciples.
• A crane-haired Core Condensation cultivator leading the attackers slaughtered Spirit Herb Mountain's Foundation Establishment cultivators with a giant axe.
• Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin killed a lecherous Foundation Establishment Early Stage opponent, but their success drew the attention of a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator.
• The Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator used blood essence to empower his flying sword with flames as Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin struggled to defend themselves.

Lin Xuan returned to the battle at Spirit Herb Mountain, rescued Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin, and turned the fight against the Qingxiang Sect attackers. He trapped the enemy with an Array Talisman, and the opposing leader launched a counterattack with the Kun Brothers.

• Lin Xuan killed the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator threatening Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin, then joined the battle.
• Lin Xuan cut down several brocade-robed cultivators, rallying Spirit Herb Mountain's disciples and disrupting the enemy's attack.
• The enemy leader signaled his forces to regroup, and Lin Xuan ordered the sect disciples to kill them all rather than let them escape.
• Lin Xuan used an Array Talisman to trap the Qingxiang Sect cultivators, prompting their leader to challenge him.
• The enemy leader brought out his Mountain Splitting Giant Axe while the five Kun Brothers attacked with jade rulers.

Lin Xuan defeated the attackers threatening Spirit Herb Mountain’s Branch Altar and ordered the disciples to evacuate. The cultivators obeyed, leaving the Branch Altar as the danger continued to grow.

• Lin Xuan used the Floating Cloud Falling Snow Sword and the Immortal Binding Ball against the crane-haired old man and the Kun Brothers.
• Lin Xuan’s emerald Core Fire corroded the old man’s Mountain-Splitting Axe, and the Immortal Binding Ball restrained him before Lin Xuan killed him.
• The Kun Brothers fled, but Lin Xuan’s disciples pursued them while the formation trapped the brocade-robed cultivators.
• Spirit Herb Mountain’s cultivators killed all the attackers, suffering only negligible casualties.
• Lin Xuan ordered everyone to evacuate the Branch Altar, and Lu Ying'er, Liu Xin, and the other disciples accepted his command.

Lin Xuan led the surviving disciples away from the ruined Branch Altar and established a new one in a remote mountain range. After appointing Li Yuan and Lu Ying'er to manage it, he faced Yue'er's question about why he had publicly claimed Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin as his nominal disciples.

• Lin Xuan ordered the 215 surviving disciples to leave, while the Blood Demon Venerable abandoned plans to stop them directly and decided to seek another way to obtain a blood sacrifice.
• Two days later, Lin Xuan found a remote Desolate Mountain with spiritual qi and Earth Fire resources and chose it for the new Branch Altar.
• The disciples opened cave residences and set up warning restrictions, and Lin Xuan appointed Li Yuan and Lu Ying'er to manage the Branch Altar.
• The disciples questioned Lu Ying'er's authority until Lin Xuan announced that he had accepted her and Liu Xin as nominal disciples.
• After Lin Xuan recovered his magic power, Yue'er asked why he had given Lu Ying'er authority and publicly named the two women his disciples.

Lin Xuan explained why he had made his relationship with Ying'er and the other girl public, then visited the Branch Altar treasure vault with Lu Ying'er to search for materials needed for the Nine Heavens Bright Moon Ring. He found one required material but learned the Purple Jade Crystal was kept separately by Li Yuan at the sect master's request.

• Lin Xuan told Yue'er that publicly naming the girls as nominal disciples would discourage suspicion and give him a chance to test Ying'er as Branch Altar manager.
• Lin Xuan arrived at the hidden treasure vault, where Lu Ying'er dismissed the guards and led him through a concealed entrance.
• Lin Xuan inspected the sect's Jade Slips but found no cultivation methods worthy of his interest.
• Lin Xuan took half the spirit stones, one third of the pills, and several rare materials from the vault.
• Lin Xuan found one material he needed, but Lu Ying'er explained that Li Yuan kept the Purple Jade Crystal separately at the sect master's request.

Lin Xuan recovered the Purple Jade Crystal from the stolen treasure chest and prepared to refine his life-bound magic treasure using Earth Fire from an extinct volcano. He drew the flames under control and began setting up for the dangerous work.

• A Ghost King-level Yinhun stole the treasure chest from the Branch Altar, and the Young Sect Master failed to recover it.
• Li Yuan fell ill from worry over losing the Sect Master's requested materials, leaving Lu Ying'er and Liu Xin to manage the Branch Altar.
• Lin Xuan used green flames to break the chest's protective talisman and found the high-grade Purple Jade Crystal he needed for the Nine Heavens Bright Moon Ring.
• Lin Xuan sent Lu Ying'er a message warning her not to disturb him while he refined a magic treasure.
• Lin Xuan carved out a cave near an extinct volcano, set up protective restrictions, and drew Earth Fire from the mountain's depths.
• Lin Xuan contained the surging Earth Fire behind an azure barrier until the flames settled down.