Chapter Summaries

Lu Xuan demanded substantial compensation from Mo Ronghua for the demons that had entered White Path Prefecture, but Mo Ronghua refused and challenged him to prove his strength. After Lu Xuan revealed himself as an Outer Strength Grandmaster and overpowered Mo Ronghua, Mo Ronghua admitted defeat and agreed to discuss compensation.

• Lu Xuan demanded five Mid Grade Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects and twenty Low Grade Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects from Mo Ronghua.
• Mo Ronghua refused the demand and offered only three Low Grade Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects, then challenged Lu Xuan to a test of strength.
• Lu Xuan revealed his Gang Essence Shield and struck Mo Ronghua with scarlet Gang Essence, easily breaking through Mo Ronghua's Sky Shattering Fist and forcing him back.
• Mo Ronghua recognized Lu Xuan as an Outer Strength Grandmaster and realized Lu Xuan had held back his attack.
• Lu Xuan sent another scarlet Gang Essence at Mo Ronghua, who admitted defeat and asked to discuss the compensation, so Lu Xuan redirected the attack through the inn's roof.

Lu Xuan secured compensation from Mo Ronghua and returned to the prefectural capital, while the Pure World White Lotus Sect prepared to reemerge. The old woman leading the sect planned to travel to White Path Prefecture and unleash a Calamity-grade eerie in Azure Cloud County.

• Mo Ronghua agreed to compensate Lu Xuan with two Mid Grade Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects and ten Low Grade Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects, then left for Mirror Platform Prefecture.
• After learning Silver Stone Town had stabilized, Lu Xuan ordered Zhao Sheng and the others to remain in Fenglin County and departed ahead of them.
• In the Sink Heaven Mountain Range, a Pure World White Lotus Sect elder said Heaven and Earth’s changes had weakened the Heavenly Surveillance Division’s influence and allowed the sect’s higher ranks to emerge.
• The old woman decided to travel to White Path Prefecture and challenge Li Chengfeng and the Li Family over the death of Jin Bing.
• The old woman resolved to unleash the Yin Spirit Resentful Eerie in Willow Ditch Village and sacrifice Azure Cloud County City to announce the sect’s return.

After refining the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects Mo Ronghua provided, Lu Xuan learned that the Spirit Ruins Land would emerge in two years and began looking forward to its treasures. He planned to stay in the Blackbird Guard and secure one of its ten entry slots, confident his Martial Arts Grandmaster realm would qualify him.

• Mo Ronghua gave Lu Xuan additional Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects to build a relationship with the young Martial Arts Grandmaster.
• Lu Xuan checked his System Panel and found he had 1,850 points after refining the spiritual objects.
• Lu Xuan recalled Mo Ronghua's warning that the Spirit Ruins Land would emerge in two years, full of spiritual objects guarded by spirit beasts and extraordinary anomalies.
• Lu Xuan learned that only those under thirty could enter the Spirit Ruins Land and that the Blackbird Guard would select its ten strongest eligible members.
• Lu Xuan decided to remain in the Blackbird Guard and enter the Spirit Ruins Land, while noting that Divine Palace True Persons and powerful factions ruled the Great Xia Dynasty.

Lu Xuan met Prefect Hong Zhi, who reported that two Great Demons had attacked Fenglin County’s officials, only to learn Lu Xuan had already slain them. Hong Zhi then reported a suspected Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend incident in Lanshan County, leaving Lu Xuan with a new case to investigate.

• Lu Xuan went to the main hall and met Vice Envoy He Yan and Prefect Hong Zhi.
• Hong Zhi reported that two demonic beasts had harmed officials in Fenglin County.
• He Yan told Hong Zhi that Lu Xuan had already slain the two Great Demons, and Hong Zhi thanked Lu Xuan on behalf of Fenglin County’s people.
• Hong Zhi reported that an entire household in Lanshan County had died with ash-white skin and a frigid, sinister aura, and he suspected the Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend.

Lu Xuan set out to investigate reports that the Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend had reappeared in Lanshan County. Before departing, he learned that the disappearance of Blackbird Guard Huang Shi might be connected to Vice Prefect Luo Jinghe and the suspicious death of Huang Shi’s father, Huang Yangping.

• He Yan questioned whether the Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend could have revived so soon, but Hong Zhi confirmed the victims’ deaths matched its past attacks.
• Lu Xuan ordered Divine Wind Steeds and decided to travel alone to Lanshan County to inspect the case.
• Lu Xuan recalled his precautions against supernatural threats and had arranged for Zhao Sheng, Qian Hao, and Li Daren to protect key territories and his father.
• After Hong Zhi left, Su An told He Yan that Huang Shi had been in contact with Vice Prefect Luo Jinghe, who had supported Huang Yangping’s appointment as Azure Cloud County Magistrate.
• Su An reported that Huang Yangping had been assassinated and Huang Shi had later disappeared, then alleged Luo Jinghe might be connected to Huang Shi’s death.
• Lu Xuan asked whether Luo Jinghe had vowed to pursue Huang Yangping’s killer, and Su An confirmed that investigators sent to Azure Cloud County had returned to the Luo Residence the previous day.

Lu Xuan ordered He Yan and Su An to capture the people investigating Huang Yangping’s death, suspecting they had uncovered something tied to Lu Family Pharmacy. Meanwhile, Luo Jinghe chose the pharmacy as a target to assert his authority, while Wu Yong and his companions celebrated their expected revenge against it.

• Lu Xuan ordered He Yan and Su An to secretly capture everyone investigating Huang Yangping’s death and bring them to him that day.
• Luo Jinghe agreed to pay Misty Rain Pavilion three thousand taels and selected Lu Family Pharmacy as the target he would use to intimidate other forces.
• Luo Jinghe lamented that Du Ma’s death had wasted his efforts to secure the Fenglin County magistrate post and prepared to attend a meeting about replacing Fenglin County’s officials.
• Wu Yong and four companions boasted at Hundred Flowers Pavilion about extorting people in Azure Cloud County City and mistreating women from local forces.
• Wu Yong recalled being beaten and thrown out of Lu Family Pharmacy, then celebrated Luo Jinghe’s plan to punish the pharmacy.

Lu Xuan ordered the Blackbird Guard to seize Wu Yong and his companions, who had been sent by Luo Jinghe to investigate Huang Yangping’s death. After Lu Xuan sent them for interrogation, He Yan warned him that Luo Jinghe’s father served Prince An as his teacher.

• The owner of Hundred Flowers Pavilion identified Wu Yong and his companions to the Blackbird Guard, who arrested them despite Wu Yong invoking Vice Prefect Luo Jinghe.
• A Blood Refinement Realm martial artist overwhelmed Wu Yong and the others, and the Blackbird Guard took them to its residence.
• He Yan told Lu Xuan that the captured men had been sent to Azure Cloud County City to investigate Huang Yangping’s death.
• Lu Xuan ordered He Yan and Su An to separate the five men and interrogate them for the truth.
• He Yan warned Lu Xuan that Luo Jinghe’s father, Luo Wen, was one of Prince An’s men and served as An Prince’s teacher.

Lu Xuan learned that Prince An was Tianqi Emperor’s tenth son, then ordered the men who extorted Lu Family Pharmacy dealt with and told He Yan to watch Luo Jinghe. He traveled to Lanshan County, where a mysterious massacre at the Ren Family residence had left the town’s central street deserted.

• He Yan explained that Prince An was Xia Mingqing, Tianqi Emperor’s tenth son, while Lu Xuan waited to learn whether Luo Jinghe had targeted his family.
• Su An brought Lu Xuan the confessions of five men, who admitted their crimes in Azure Cloud County but knew nothing about Luo Jinghe’s plans for Lu Family Pharmacy.
• Lu Xuan burned the confession sheet and ordered Su An to deal with the five men discreetly.
• Lu Xuan instructed He Yan to secretly monitor Luo Jinghe and report any mention of Lu Family Pharmacy, then departed as He Yan went to watch Luo Jinghe’s residence.
• Lu Xuan arrived in Lanshan County Town, where the Ren Family’s entire household had died overnight and fear had emptied the central avenue.

Lu Xuan arrived in Lanshan County Town and learned that its frightened residents knew about the Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend. After searching the town through the night without finding it, he decided to stay another day.

• Lu Xuan saw the town’s guards and residents hurrying indoors and learned that Filthy Things had appeared and killed Steward Ren’s family.
• Lu Xuan recalled that fear drew the Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend and realized the county magistrate had failed to keep its existence secret.
• Lu Xuan rode to an inn, where the innkeeper confirmed that the town feared a creature that had drained the blood from Master Ren and his family.
• Lu Xuan searched the silent county town throughout the night but found no trace of Yin Energy or the Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend.
• Lu Xuan decided to remain in Lanshan County Town for another day.

After learning of Su Tianqi’s death, Su Quanchuan resented the Blackbird Guard and accepted a mysterious person’s offer of a Blood-Red Lotus in exchange for delaying the report about the Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend. Zhang Qi arrived as rumors about the creature spread through Lanshan County Town, leaving Su Quanchuan to answer whether he would suppress them.

• Su Quanchuan mourned Su Tianqi and angrily condemned the Blackbird Guard for his son’s death.
• Su Quanchuan recalled that a Blood Refinement Realm stranger had asked him to spread word of the Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend and delay notifying the prefectural city.
• The stranger gave Su Quanchuan a Blood-Red Lotus that could help him break through to the Blood Refinement Realm, and Su Quanchuan agreed to the request.
• Su Quanchuan tested the lotus on prisoners, saw their martial auras rise without apparent side effects, and kept it for his own breakthrough.
• Zhang Qi entered the hall and asked Su Quanchuan whether he should send people to suppress the rumors about the Ghostly Thing.

Su Quanchuan and Zhang Qi waited for the Blackbird Guard to deal with the Ghostly Thing while trying to contain the panic in Lanshan County. A letter from the prefect revealed that a Blackbird Envoy was coming, leaving Zhang Qi terrified that the county officials would be punished for their failures.

• Su Quanchuan agreed with Zhang Qi that the county office should suppress rumors by claiming Steward Ren's household had died from poison.
• Zhang Qi asked when the Blackbird Guard would arrive, and Su Quanchuan said he was waiting for the prefect's reply.
• Chief Constable Lao Feng returned from White Path Prefecture Capital and reported that the prefect had personally notified the Blackbird Guard and sent Su Quanchuan a letter.
• Su Quanchuan read the letter and announced that a Blackbird Envoy was likely coming to Lanshan County, warning the officials not to make mistakes.
• Zhang Qi panicked at the news and blamed Su Quanchuan for letting the rumors spread and dragging everyone into danger.

Su Quanchuan and Zhang Qi argued over how to conceal the Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend’s attacks while panic spread through Lanshan County Town. That night, the Fiend appeared at Zhang Qi’s residence, killed two servants, and pierced Zhang Qi’s abdomen.

• Su Quanchuan urged Zhang Qi to help cover up the county office’s failure, but Zhang Qi refused and threatened to tell the Blackbird Envoy the truth.
• Su Quanchuan resolved to gather the remaining officials and privately hoped the Fiend’s attacks would help him reach the Blood Refinement Realm.
• Lu Xuan learned that residents were fleeing Lanshan County Town and that the county office had blamed Steward Ren’s family’s deaths on poison.
• Zhang Qi returned home, blamed Su Quanchuan for the crisis, and decided he would not help him share the blame.
• The Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend appeared when Zhang Qi’s servants tried to light a candle, drained both servants into corpses, and stabbed Zhang Qi through the abdomen.

Lu Xuan rescued Zhang Qi from the mutated Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend and destroyed the ghost, earning System Points. After learning that Zhang Qi was Lanshan County’s County Magistrate Assistant, Lu Xuan questioned him about the leaked news, and Zhang Qi recognized him as a Blackbird Envoy and blamed Su Quanchuan.

• Lu Xuan arrived as the Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend attacked Zhang Qi, burning away the ghost’s icy aura and severing its bizarre arm.
• The Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend fired Yin Energy at Lu Xuan and fled, but Lu Xuan caught it in a blazing crimson hand and destroyed it.
• Lu Xuan gained 650 System Points, while Zhang Qi stood stunned by his supernatural strength.
• Zhang Qi’s servants and guards rushed into the courtyard, and Zhang Qi angrily sent them away after one called Lu Xuan an assassin.
• Lu Xuan questioned Zhang Qi about who had leaked news of the Bloodthirsty Corpse Fiend, and Zhang Qi recognized him as a Blackbird Envoy.
• Zhang Qi knelt and begged Lu Xuan for forgiveness, blaming Su Quanchuan for letting the news spread.

Zhang Qi told Lu Xuan that Su Quanchuan had secretly tested an unknown substance on prisoners, leaving them empowered before crippling them and cutting out their tongues. Lu Xuan took Zhang Qi to the county office, where Su Quanchuan's guards blocked their way, and Zhang Qi challenged them to stop handling the matter.

• Zhang Qi reported that Su Quanchuan had experimented on prisoners, who grew stronger after taking an unknown substance but were later crippled and silenced.
• Lu Xuan ordered Zhang Qi to lead him to Su Quanchuan, then carried him through the air to the county office.
• Zhang Qi arrived at the office with Lu Xuan and scolded the gate guards for drawing their blades before they recognized him.
• Zhang Qi learned that Su Quanchuan was inside the rear courtyard and that three guards had orders to let no one in.
• The three guards refused to let Zhang Qi and Lu Xuan pass, and Zhang Qi sneered, telling them not to handle the matter.

Lu Xuan discovered traces of the Pure World White Lotus Sect in Su Quanchuan’s courtyard and confronted the county magistrate after he consumed a Blood Lotus and reached the Blood Refinement Realm. The chapter ended with Lu Xuan demanding that Su Quanchuan reveal the sect’s whereabouts.

• Zhang Qi wounded three of Su Quanchuan’s Yamen Runners, then went looking for Lu Xuan.
• Lu Xuan sensed the Pure World White Lotus Sect’s aura in Su Quanchuan’s courtyard and found that Su Quanchuan had consumed a Blood Lotus.
• Su Quanchuan celebrated reaching the Blood Refinement Realm and vowed to punish Zhang Qi, but Lu Xuan tore open the roof with a crimson giant hand and flung him outside.
• Zhang Qi arrived and identified Lu Xuan as the Blackbird Envoy, while Su Quanchuan demanded to know who had attacked him.
• Lu Xuan demanded to know where the people of the Pure World White Lotus Sect were, and Zhang Qi realized Su Quanchuan was implicated with the sect.

Lu Xuan struck down Su Quanchuan and ordered Zhang Qi to learn the whereabouts of the Pure World White Lotus Sect within half an hour. In the county prison, Su Quanchuan pretended to confess to Zhang Qi, who leaned closer to hear him.

• Lu Xuan asked Su Quanchuan about the Pure World White Lotus Sect, then knocked him into a ruined room and left Zhang Qi to question him.
• Zhang Qi realized Su Quanchuan had reached the Blood Refinement Realm and coveted the treasure behind his breakthrough.
• Zhang Qi chained and tortured Su Quanchuan in the county prison, demanding information about the sect and the treasure.
• Su Quanchuan explained that his greed for the Blood Refinement Realm had led him to trust a Pure World White Lotus Sect member, but he feared Zhang Qi would betray him.
• Su Quanchuan pretended to agree to confess and asked Zhang Qi to come closer, while Zhang Qi leaned in and promised to remove his chains afterward.

Su Quanchuan died after forcing his suppressed Qi and Blood to collide with a mysterious force, leaving Zhang Qi alive to answer to Lu Xuan. Zhang Qi then ordered Su Quanchuan’s household surrounded, while Su Tianming learned his father was dead.

• Su Quanchuan blasted shattered teeth at Zhang Qi, then exploded when he forcibly stirred his suppressed Qi and Blood.
• Lu Xuan spared the badly injured Zhang Qi after he failed to extract information from Su Quanchuan and resolved to hunt the Pure World White Lotus Sect in White Path Prefecture.
• After Lu Xuan left, Zhang Qi ordered the county office staff to surround the Su Residence and let no one escape.
• Su Tianming drank with three young masters and recalled that a young woman he had abducted had taken her own life.
• A messenger burst into the room and told Su Tianming to flee because Su Quanchuan was dead.

Zhang Qi captured the Su Family after announcing that Su Quanchuan had been killed for colluding with enemies of the imperial court. In White Path Prefecture, He Yan confronted Luo Jinghe after overhearing his plot against the Lu Family Pharmacy and ordered him to come to the Blackbird Guard Residence.

• Zhang Qi announced that Su Quanchuan had been shot dead and captured the members of the Su Family, including Su Tianming.
• Luo Jinghe recalled that he had secretly killed the Blackbird Guard Huang Shi and was relieved that the guards searching for Huang Shi had found no traces.
• A Luo Residence steward told Luo Jinghe that Misty Rain Pavilion had accepted three thousand taels of silver to destroy the Lu Family Pharmacy in Azure Cloud County.
• He Yan appeared at the pavilion and killed the steward with a pebble before the man could summon the guards.
• He Yan identified himself as White Path Prefecture's Vice Blackbird Envoy and ordered Luo Jinghe to come with him by the Blackbird Envoy Sir's authority.

He Yan captured Luo Jinghe, and Lu Xuan ordered him executed without a trial for the Huang Shi case. Lu Xuan then showed Prefect Hong Zhi evidence from Luo Jinghe’s residence and told him to take the corpse and establish Luo Jinghe’s crimes.

• He Yan overpowered Luo Jinghe as he tried to flee across the lake and brought him to the Blackbird Guard dungeon.
• He Yan told Luo Jinghe that Lu Xuan had ordered his immediate execution without a trial.
• He Yan beheaded Luo Jinghe in the dungeon.
• Lu Xuan showed Prefect Hong Zhi letters linking Luo Jinghe to local officials, including Huang Yangping and Huang Shi.
• Lu Xuan told Hong Zhi to take Luo Jinghe’s corpse and establish his crimes, and Hong Zhi accepted the decision.

Lu Xuan ordered the execution of the Misty Rain Pavilion assassins and a search for the Pure World White Lotus Sect, then awaited spiritual supplies from the Imperial Capital. At Blackbird Guard Headquarters, a young guard was shocked by Lu Xuan’s enormous request and hurried to alert Yellow Envoy Sir.

• Hong Zhi took the letters documenting Luo Jinghe’s crimes to deliver to the governor, while Blackbird Guards carried away a cloth-wrapped object.
• He Yan told Lu Xuan that Luo Jinghe had hired four Misty Rain Pavilion assassins, and Lu Xuan ordered them killed.
• Lu Xuan told the Blackbird Guards to patrol White Path Prefecture for signs of the Pure World White Lotus Sect and asked He Yan when the Imperial Capital would send his requested spiritual objects.
• At Blackbird Guard Headquarters, a young guard read White Path Prefecture’s request for three High Grade, twenty Mid Grade, and one hundred Low Grade Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects.
• The young guard took the letter to inform Yellow Envoy Sir, who was gathered with others in the Blackbird Guard discussion hall.