Chapter Summaries

After nearly half a year of slumber, Little Yellow awakened its Heavenly Phoenix bloodline, unleashed powerful golden fire, and learned to speak. Song Changming learned that Little Yellow was a descendant of the Heavenly Phoenix rather than the divine bird itself, and the bird ended the chapter by accepting him as Master in exchange for a Fire Spirit Root.

• Song Changming and Su Qingqing watched the snow at the Song Residence before Little Yellow's awakening sent intense heat through the courtyard.
• Little Yellow emerged from a golden sphere, wrecked its room with golden demon fire, and spoke to Song Changming and Su Qingqing for the first time.
• Song Changming questioned Little Yellow, and it explained that its bloodline awakening had revealed the Heavenly Phoenix as its ancestor.
• Su Qingqing explained that Little Yellow had retained an unusually strong share of the Heavenly Phoenix bloodline and could evolve closer to the legendary bird.
• Little Yellow promised to protect Song Changming, then called him Master after he offered it a Fire Spirit Root.

Song Changming attended the Grand Marshal selection, bringing Lu Yuchen and Wang Wenyu to watch as seventy-eight minor Flag Lords competed for four positions. The first rounds narrowed the field, and the chapter ended with Tang Leshan and Hu Fanyi entering the contests as the crowd anticipated a possible clash between them.

• Song Changming completed his officials’ year-end reports and invited Lu Yuchen and Wang Wenyu to accompany him to the selection.
• Song Changming brought the two civil officials to the snowy cliff, where the generals and talisman masters had prepared the venue.
• The seventy-eight candidates began competing in four simultaneous matches, and Lu Yuchen and Wang Wenyu watched the experts fight.
• Yang Zhen defeated an opponent with his spear, while Song Changming judged that he had a chance at one of the four positions.
• Xu Yuan won his match with lightning and received Song Changming’s approving applause.
• Tang Leshan and Hu Fanyi entered separate matches, drawing attention as spectators anticipated a contest between them.

The marshal selection narrowed to five finalists, and Hu Fanyi defeated Tang Leshan to claim the First Army marshal post while Xu Yuan secured the Thirteenth Army post unopposed. Yang Zhen and Dou Xuan then fought over the Nineteenth Army position, with their evenly matched battle still raging at the chapter’s end.

• Tang Leshan defeated his opponent in the second round, and the selection advanced through the third and fourth rounds until five candidates remained.
• Yang Zhen narrowly defeated Yu Ruizhi with a first-grade spear art, then won his fourth-round match to reach the final five.
• Hu Fanyi and Tang Leshan both sought the First Army marshal post, and Hu Fanyi defeated Tang Leshan after three hundred exchanges.
• Song Changming appointed Hu Fanyi marshal of the First Army, and Xu Yuan claimed the Thirteenth Army post without a challenger.
• Yang Zhen and Dou Xuan fought for the Nineteenth Army marshal post, trading more than two hundred exchanges and suffering serious injuries as Song Changming stood ready to intervene.

Song Changming oversaw the final rounds of the Marshal selection, where Hu Fanyi and Xu Yuan secured positions after defeating their rivals. Yang Zhen and Dou Xuan then fought over the Nineteenth Army’s vacant Marshal seat, and their evenly matched battle continued with both men seriously wounded.

• Tang Leshan defeated his opponent in the second round, and the remaining candidates advanced through the next rounds until five remained.
• Tang Leshan challenged Hu Fanyi for the First Army Marshal position, but Hu Fanyi defeated him after three hundred exchanges and was appointed Marshal.
• Xu Yuan claimed the Thirteenth Army Marshal position without opposition.
• Yang Zhen and Dou Xuan both sought the Nineteenth Army Marshal position, while Tang Leshan chose to recover instead of competing.
• Yang Zhen and Dou Xuan fought for more than two hundred exchanges, sustaining serious injuries as Song Changming watched and prepared to intervene.

Yang Zhen defeated Dou Xuan and became commander of the Nineteenth Army, while Tang Leshan claimed the remaining Marshal Position. Later, Song Changming refined his sixth Witch Soldier Seal, the Sound Spider, and discovered that his spoken commands could control another person’s body.

• Yang Zhen disarmed and defeated Dou Xuan, then accepted command of the Nineteenth Army from Song Changming.
• Tang Leshan stepped forward for the last Marshal Position, and the injured Dou Xuan abandoned his bid.
• Song Changming refined his sixth Witch Soldier Seal, summoning the primordial Sound Spider and frightening Little Phoenix with its aura.
• Song Changming used the Sound Spider’s power to make Su Qingqing obey his spoken commands, revealing that his voice could control her movements.

Song Changming rescued captives from a demon-infested swamp, tested his Sound Spider Witch Soldier Seal, and destroyed the swamp with thunder. At his annual evaluation, he chose the Heavenly Origin Body trait and discovered it greatly amplified his control over Grandmaster power.

• Song Changming froze the demons trafficking captives in the swamp, compelled them to fight each other, and freed the people taken from Cuibai Way.
• Song Changming killed the remaining Toad Demon, absorbed the demons’ vitality, and scorched the swamp with thunder before leaving with the rescued people.
• Song Changming received his annual evaluation and chose the lifespan reward and the Heavenly Origin Body among his four rewards.
• Song Changming tested the new trait in his cultivation chamber and found that it gave him powerful control over energy, amplified his Grandmaster power, and promised faster cultivation.

Song Changming tested his new Sound Spider Witch Soldier Seal by destroying a demon stronghold and rescuing captives, then received his annual evaluation rewards. He chose the Heavenly Origin Body and discovered that it greatly strengthened his control over energy, leaving him to explore its full potential.

• Song Changming used the Sound Spider Witch Soldier Seal to freeze the demons in the Land of Nine Nether swamp and force them to kill one another.
• Song Changming freed the captives from Cuibai Way, refined the demons’ blood and qi, and destroyed the swamp with lightning.
• Song Changming received his annual evaluation and chose lifespan, the Heavenly Origin Body, and two other rewards.
• Song Changming entered his seclusion chamber and awakened the Heavenly Origin Body, which accelerated energy cultivation and greatly increased the power of his Grandmaster force.

Song Changming completed his Annual Rewards, improving Silent Blade and his Grandmaster cultivation, then set out traveling with Su Qingqing and Little Phoenix. A letter from his elder brothers revealed they had found another zombie person in Dark Province, giving Song Changming a possible lead toward the Witch Clan inheritance.

• Song Changming chose his rewards, mastered Silent Blade at the Proficient realm, and condensed a second drop of Purple Mansion Essence Blood.
• Hu Zhong visited Song Changming, learned of his breakthrough, and drank with him beneath the moon.
• Su Fengye rejected Gu Xinyue’s plan to seek revenge and said he wanted to leave the past behind and cherish their life together.
• Song Changming received a letter from his elder brothers describing a frozen zombie person they had found in Dark Province, and he urged them to stay cautious and search for Witch God Stone fragments.
• Song Changming left on a trip with Su Qingqing and Little Phoenix, relaxing as they traveled through the Ancient Abyss Kingdom.

Song Changming joined King Cui, King Xia, and Hong Zhen on a mission to help Fox Mountain repel the demon race in Yuanzhou. On their journey north, they encountered a dangerous Frost Fiend Wind, and Song Changming rescued Hong Zhen from its freezing energy.

• Lu Yuchen and Wang Wenyu reported to Song Changming, but a royal guard summoned him to meet King Cui.
• King Cui told Song Changming that the Cloud Emperor had ordered them to help Fox Mountain against an approaching demon force, and Song Changming agreed to go with him while Hu Zhong stayed behind.
• King Cui and Song Changming met King Xia and Hong Zhen at Zixia Way, then traveled north together toward Yuanzhou.
• The group encountered a Frost Fiend Wind in Wind Province, which disrupted their Grandmaster power and sent freezing energy at them.
• Hong Zhen was struck and began to freeze, but Song Changming carried him out of danger and used his lightning to remove the frost from his body.
• The group escaped the Frost Fiend Wind, and Song Changming recognized that even Grandmasters remained vulnerable to deadly natural phenomena.

Song Changming traveled with Li Xuan, King Cui, and Hong Zhen into Yuanzhou to support Fox Mountain against an allied demon army, while he assessed his strength against King Cui. They encountered three great demons fighting over a Seven-Colored Flower, and King Cui and Li Xuan prepared to attack them.

• Li Xuan and King Cui praised Song Changming’s strength and his role in helping defeat the Su Clan, while Song Changming wondered how he measured up to Yunzhou’s kings.
• Song Changming mentally simulated a fight against King Cui and concluded that he would lose, though he could still put up a fight.
• The group crossed Miao Province and entered Yuanzhou, where King Cui warned them to move cautiously through demon territory.
• At Fox Mountain, Xi Yanxue told the Fox Clan elders that King Cui’s Late Realm Grandmaster strength meant the demon threat could be handled.
• A Butterfly Demon and Rat Old Man fought over a Seven-Colored Flower until a Bee Demon stopped them and revealed the demons’ plan to attack Fox Mountain.
• Song Changming took the Seven-Colored Flower, and King Cui and Li Xuan decided to deal with the three great demons first.

Song Changming and King Cui captured three Great Demons, learned that nineteen leaders had assembled a huge demon army against Fox Mountain, and killed their captives for their cores and blood essence. They went to Wucheng Mountain to confront the remaining leaders, where the Sheep Demon attacked King Cui and was immediately forced back, vomiting blood.

• King Cui and Song Changming overwhelmed and captured the Butterfly Demon, Bee Demon, and Rat Old Man, then learned that nineteen Great Demons were leading an army of over a hundred thousand against Fox Mountain.
• King Cui killed the Butterfly Demon, Song Changming restrained Rat Old Man’s fleeing core, and Li Xuan killed the Bee Demon; the four claimed the demon cores and blood essence.
• The four traveled to Wucheng Mountain, the demon army’s gathering place, where the Ape Demon and Sheep Demon learned that three of their fellow Great Demons had been killed by humans.
• Song Changming and the others arrived at the demon camp and identified the Ape Demon and Sheep Demon as two of the Deer-Ape-Sheep brothers.
• The Sheep Demon attacked King Cui, who countered with a palm strike that sent him staggering back and vomiting blood.

Song Changming and King Cui’s group defeated the deer, sheep, and ape demons leading the allied army against Fox Mountain. After Song Changming’s Sound Spider Witch Soldier Seal immobilized thirteen Great Demons, the army lost its nerve and fled, leaving the group victorious on the spirit mountain.

• The ape-man and deer demon joined the sheep demon, and King Cui, Li Xuan, Song Changming, and Hong Zhen fought the three Great Demons and their forces.
• Song Changming defeated the giant ape with two Silent Blades, killed him, and extracted his Great Demon core and flesh-and-blood essence.
• King Cui pinned the deer demon while Li Xuan subdued the sheep demon, as thirteen Great Demons arrived to intervene.
• Song Changming used the Sound Spider Witch Soldier Seal to immobilize all thirteen Great Demons and deter them from attacking.
• King Cui killed the deer and sheep demons, and the remaining Great Demons and their forces fled the spirit mountain.
• King Cui stopped Song Changming from pursuing the fleeing demons, and Song Changming abandoned the chase after collecting ample Great Demon essence.

After the Fox Clan thanked the four for defeating the demon alliance, Xi Yanxue gave Song Changming a fragment of the Witch God Stone, and the group returned to Yunzhou. The Cloud Emperor rewarded Song Changming with permission to choose a Spirit Saber, and a sealed saber on the Saber Tower’s fifth floor drew out his Silent Blade intent.

• King Cui spoke with the Fox Clan’s leaders, who praised the four for defeating the alliance and promised to cooperate with humanity.
• Xi Yanxue gave Song Changming an unusually hard stone fragment, which he recognized as the second fragment of the Witch God Stone, and he exchanged a Great Demon core for it.
• The four returned to Yunzhou after confirming the remaining attackers had scattered, and the Fox Clan promised to send an envoy to Cloud Emperor City.
• The Cloud Emperor heard the four’s requests and allowed Song Changming to choose any Spirit Saber from the Saber Tower.
• On the fifth floor, a sealed black-and-silver saber trembled, and Song Changming’s Silent Blade intent surged out when he grasped its hilt.

Song Changming subdued the evil spirit saber God-Eater and returned to Cuibai Way, where he uncovered the Heavenly God Art of Lifting in a Witch God Stone fragment. The new technique revealed a nine-tiered path to becoming a Witch Clan God, leaving Song Changming determined to pursue the inheritance and search for more fragments.

• Song Changming used his Witch Soldier Seals and Demonic Power to subdue the monster inside the saber, then drew God-Eater from its rack as the Cloud Emperor named it.
• Song Changming and King Cui stayed in Zixia Way for several days before returning to Cuibai Way, where Song praised Lu Yuchen and Wang Wenyu for managing the Marshal's Cabinet.
• Song Changming gave Su Qingqing a letter from her mother and examined two Witch God Stone fragments using the Sorcery Refining Method.
• A vision in the newly acquired fragment showed Song Changming a towering figure that pointed at him, imparting the Heavenly God Art of Lifting and its nine-tiered Divine Steps.
• Song Changming learned that the Sorcery Refining Method and Heavenly God Art of Lifting could develop his body and spirit toward godhood, and decided to search for more Witch God Stone fragments.

Song Changming subdued the sinister saber God-Eater in the Saber Tower, then returned to Cuibai Way and gained the Heavenly God Art of Lifting from a Witch God Stone fragment. He realized the technique could refine his spirit toward the Witch Clan’s path to godhood, though he had not yet reached its first tier.

• Song Changming used his five Witch Soldier Seals and the Sound Spider Witch Soldier Seal to subdue the monster within the saber, then took God-Eater from its rack.
• King Cui joined Song Changming on the tower’s fifth floor, and the two later returned to Cuibai Way after staying on Zixia Way at King Xia’s invitation.
• Song Changming praised Lu Yuchen and Wang Wenyu for keeping the Marshal’s Cabinet in order, then examined two Witch God Stone fragments at Moon-Viewing Terrace.
• A figure in the new Witch God Stone fragment pointed at Song Changming, and he received the Heavenly God Art of Lifting, Nine-Tiered Divine Ladder.
• Song Changming concluded that the Witch Clan inheritance could lead to godhood and resolved to seek more Witch God Stone fragments, while noting that he had not reached the first tier.

More than twenty years after Cuibai Main City prospered under the Emerald Banner Army’s protection, Yang Zhen and Su Qingqing stopped Void-tail Demons from abducting civilians and captured them for interrogation. With Song Changming away, Lu Yuchen and Wang Wenyu planned defenses against further attacks and considered using bait.

• Yang Zhen and his soldiers fought off Void-tail Demons attacking civilians on the official road, while Xiao Peibai rescued the people.
• Su Qingqing immobilized the demons with her Pink Eyes and took their bronze mirror fragment, preventing them from escaping through a light gate.
• Yang Zhen ordered the captured demons taken to the Demon Locking Tower, and a child entering the city vowed to join the army and fight demons when he grew up.
• Yang Zhen reported the capture to Lu Yuchen and Wang Wenyu, who discussed guarding against further Void-tail attacks while Song Changming was away.
• Lu Yuchen proposed using bait to predict and intercept the unpredictable Void-tail Demons.

Song Changming hunted a three-headed great demon in Thunder Marsh, feeding its lightning and essence to his Thunder Seed while preparing to advance to Middle Realm Grandmaster. As he headed home, Little Gold sensed a Color-Shining Flower nearby, prompting him to fly north in search of it.

• Song Changming tracked down and killed the three-headed snake, then used its corpse to nourish his Thunder Seed and harvest its essence.
• Song Changming reflected on his progress as an Initial Realm Grandmaster and resolved to cultivate the power needed to reach Middle Realm Grandmaster.
• Demons discovered that Snake King Sanfu had died and feared that Song Changming had entered Thunder Marsh.
• As Song Changming flew toward Wind Province, Little Gold sensed a Color-Shining Flower to the north, and Song Changming changed course to find it.

Song Changming intervened when Gray and the Thunder Wheel Tiger Clan guards tried to kill Hya under orders from her father, the King. After Hya killed the conspirators, Song Changming harvested their remains and turned his attention to the poisoned princess.

• Gray lured Hya to a Color-Shining Flower, which poisoned her and left her unable to use her power safely.
• Gray revealed that Hya's father had ordered her death because he feared her powerful bloodline, then led the guards in attacking her.
• Song Changming emerged from concealment and defeated the tiger demons, using his Sound Spider ability to immobilize Gray and the remaining guards.
• Hya broke free and killed Gray, then killed the other guards after Song Changming stopped them from fleeing.
• Song Changming collected the demons' corpses and extracted their Smiting Lightning Thunder Seeds and flesh essence.
• Hya collapsed into the magma, and Song Changming looked toward the poisoned tigress.

Song Changming defeated Hya, accepted her offer to serve him, and placed a God Binding Seal in her soul to ensure her obedience. After taking the Color-Shining Flower, he settled on an island in Miao Province to cultivate, where a strange surge of spiritual energy soon began.

• Song Changming confronted Hya and heard her offer to serve him in exchange for help taking revenge on the Thunder Wheel Tiger Clan.
• Hya surrendered her bone wheel and heart core blood, but Song Changming also planted a God Binding Seal in her soul to prevent betrayal.
• Song Changming removed Hya's poison, took the Color-Shining Flower, and told her to gather Great Demon flesh and blood and unusual lightning for him.
• Song Changming traveled to an isolated island in Miao Province, set up a protective formation, and gave the Color-Shining Flower to the Ginseng Spirit.
• The Ginseng Spirit returned pure spiritual energy to Song Changming, and he began cultivating as spiritual energy surged over the island and the sea turned stormy.

Song Changming advanced to the Middle Realm, while Hu Zhong learned that the Void-tail Demons had used a bronze mirror from the Heavenly Ruins Realm to free imprisoned demons and threaten Yunzhou. After the demons retaliated and a city fell, King Cui entered the Land of Nine Nether to pursue them as Song Changming returned.

• Song Changming formed his eleventh drop of Purple Mansion Essence Blood and broke through to the Middle Realm Grandmaster realm.
• Hu Zhong visited the military headquarters and learned from Lu Yuchen that the Void-tail Demons had used a bronze mirror fragment to open passages between two places and free the demons in the Demon Locking Tower.
• Hu Zhong failed to activate the mirror himself, warned the military to strengthen its defenses, and reported the threat to King Cui.
• King Cui and other Yunzhou authorities sent search parties after the Void-tail Demons, while the Royal Residence's Talisman Path Academy was tasked with developing countermeasures.
• The Void-tail Demons allied with powerful demons to retaliate, slaughtering people and causing a city in Cuibai Way to fall; King Cui killed the attackers and entered the Land of Nine Nether to pursue the clan.
• Song Changming returned from his travels that same day.