Chapter Summaries

Jiang Qinghe followed Shadow Snake and Wu Zhen to a hidden Path of Rebirth stronghold and secretly recorded its layout. He returned to Cangfeng City at dawn to report his findings to the Chief Command.

• Shadow Snake and Wu Zhen disposed of the corpses and traces in the village, then left for the stronghold while Jiang Qinghe watched from hiding.
• Jiang Qinghe followed Shadow Snake and Wu Zhen through the snow to a concealed mountain hollow and entered after confirming there was no ambush.
• Jiang Qinghe observed the stronghold’s houses, sentries, and activity without revealing himself, then withdrew to the inn.
• Jiang Qinghe reviewed what he had learned, rested through the night, and rode the Night-Shining Jade Lion toward Cangfeng City at dawn.
• Jiang Qinghe showed his Deputy Commander waist token to the city gate guards and entered Cangfeng City.

Jiang Qinghe returned to the main division after attaining the Innate Realm and reported to Chen Lingxue. After dismissing Xiao Haoze’s attempt to challenge him, Jiang Qinghe confirmed his breakthrough, strengthening Chen Lingxue’s resolve to bind him to the Chen Family.

• Jiang Qinghe arrived at the main division, where personnel reacted to his reputation and rumored Innate Realm breakthrough.
• Xiao Haoze confronted Jiang Qinghe over his leave, but Jiang Qinghe feigned not to know who he was and refused to yield.
• Sang Miaozhu identified Xiao Haoze and explained that Jiang Qinghe’s recuperative leave had been approved by Chen Lingxue, prompting Xiao Haoze to leave.
• Sang Miaozhu escorted Jiang Qinghe to Chen Lingxue’s office, where he respectfully reported in.
• Chen Lingxue asked whether Jiang Qinghe had entered the Innate Realm, and he confirmed it; she resolved to connect him firmly to the Chen Family.

Jiang Qinghe told Chen Lingxue that he had found a major Path of Rebirth stronghold, prompting her to report the intelligence to the Commander rather than attack on her own. Chen Lingxue explained that the cult’s core members were remnants of the fallen Xing Family, while keeping the family’s true downfall hidden.

• Jiang Qinghe reported that he had located a large, active Path of Rebirth base and believed it might be the organization’s core nest.
• Chen Lingxue recognized the find as potentially major merit and praised Jiang Qinghe for his composure and lack of boasting.
• Jiang Qinghe asked about the Path of Rebirth’s origins, and Chen Lingxue said its core members came from the destroyed Xing Family.
• Chen Lingxue concealed the real reason the Xing Family had been crushed, including the rise of an exceptionally gifted young genius.
• Chen Lingxue sealed an urgent report detailing Jiang Qinghe’s intelligence and ordered Sang Miaozhu to deliver it to the Commander for instructions.

Lin Ye ordered Han Jialiang to lead a secret force against the Path of Rebirth after Jiang Qinghe reported a suspected stronghold, dismissing the possibility that the discovery was bait. As the force prepared to attack, the Path Master felt an unusually powerful premonition of danger.

• Lin Ye and Han Jialiang discussed whether Jiang Qinghe’s discovery of the Path of Rebirth stronghold was genuine or a trap.
• Lin Ye ordered Han Jialiang to eliminate the stronghold, and the Commander’s Mansion assembled an all-Innate team for a swift nighttime assault.
• Han Jialiang led the team, including Chen Lingxue, Xiao Haoze, Jiang Qinghe, and Lian Shuheng, toward the stronghold beyond Cangfeng City’s northern gate.
• The Path Master felt an intense premonition that danger was approaching.

Jiang Qinghe and Han Jialiang led a disguised force into the Path of Rebirth’s fog-filled mountain base, where poisonous miasma and hidden traps weakened their defenses. Core members of the Path of Rebirth launched an ambush, and the battle began.

• Jiang Qinghe led the group off the official road and into a concealed mountain fissure.
• The party entered a hollow filled with dense gray poisonous miasma that obstructed sight and Spiritual Sense.
• Han Jialiang ordered everyone to hold their breath, circulate their qi, and take antidote pills, but the poison still caused discomfort.
• Hidden weapons drew the group’s attention while buried leather sacs released green poison that began corroding the Innate Lower Grade fighters’ protective qi.
• Core members of the Path of Rebirth emerged from the fog and attacked, starting a battle with the Commander's Mansion forces.

The Commander's Mansion and the Path of Rebirth fought through the poisonous fog as Han Jialiang challenged the Path Master. Han Jialiang knocked away the Path Master’s mask, revealing his scarred face, and Jiang Qinghe recognized him as Xing Daoyuan.

• The Path of Rebirth and the Commander's Mansion clashed across the fog-shrouded mountain hollow, where the Path of Rebirth’s preparation against the poison and fog helped offset the enemy’s superior strength.
• Jiang Qinghe killed a Marrow Cleansing Golden Body member who tried to ambush an Innate expert from the Commander's Mansion.
• As the poisonous fog thinned, casualties mounted and more than half of the fallen belonged to the Path of Rebirth.
• Han Jialiang charged the Path Master and used his Piercing Thunder Saber Technique to overpower him in their duel.
• Han Jialiang’s saber aura split the Path Master’s mask, exposing his scarred face, and Jiang Qinghe recognized him as Xing Daoyuan.

Xing Daoyuan revealed himself to Han Jialiang and unleashed a sinister banner that killed three Innate Middle Grade experts and knocked Chen Lingxue unconscious. Han Jialiang survived the attack but was injured, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Han Jialiang recognized Xing Daoyuan, whom he had believed died when the Xing Family was destroyed, and Xing Daoyuan accused the Lin Family of causing his injuries.
• Han Jialiang dismissed Xing Daoyuan's grievance and demanded that he surrender, while Xing Daoyuan condemned the Four Great Clans for their attack on the Xing Family.
• Xing Daoyuan summoned a dark banner that consumed his true qi and blood, then released deadly Black Torrents toward Han Jialiang and the others.
• Han Jialiang blocked the strongest Black Torrent with his Lightning Repelling Wall but suffered internal injuries.
• The Black Torrents broke through the defenses of three Innate Middle Grade experts and killed them, while Chen Lingxue's Jade Talisman shielded her before she was struck by the shockwave and knocked unconscious.

Xing Daoyuan used the Rebirth Banner to kill three Martial Venerables and escape, leaving Chen Lingxue unconscious. Jiang Qinghe killed Xiao Haoze when he tried to take advantage of the situation, then slipped into the fog as the battle continued.

• Xing Daoyuan unleashed the Rebirth Banner, killing three Innate Middle Grade Martial Venerables and injuring Chen Lingxue before fleeing the mountain hollow.
• Han Jialiang pursued the weakened Xing Daoyuan, while Jiang Qinghe checked Chen Lingxue and confirmed she was alive.
• Xiao Haoze arrived, saw Jiang Qinghe and the unconscious Chen Lingxue, and decided to kill them and blame the Path of Rebirth remnants.
• Jiang Qinghe revealed his Innate Third Rank strength and used the Escaping Immortal Shuttle to appear behind Xiao Haoze and kill him.
• Jiang Qinghe left Chen Lingxue and disappeared into the fog as the fighting continued elsewhere in the mountain hollow.

Jiang Qinghe killed Xiao Haoze, looted the bodies, and escaped with Chen Lingxue before the Commander’s Mansion fighters arrived. Meanwhile, Xing Daoyuan survived his duel with Han Jialiang and fled into the forest, but the destruction of the Path of Rebirth left him alone and homeless.

• Jiang Qinghe stabbed Xiao Haoze through the heart and killed him, then searched him and the three dead Middle Grade Martial Venerables for valuables.
• Jiang Qinghe heard approaching Martial Venerables from the Commander's Mansion, picked up Chen Lingxue, and vanished into the fog before they arrived and discovered the bodies.
• Xing Daoyuan burned his essence blood to unleash the Rebirth Banner's Black Torrent at Han Jialiang, and the two attacks clashed.
• Han Jialiang, badly injured and wary of the banner, stopped pursuing Xing Daoyuan and returned toward the mountain hollow.
• Xing Daoyuan escaped into the forest and realized that the Path of Rebirth had been destroyed, leaving him a homeless, solitary cur.

Xing Daoyuan abandoned his short-sighted revenge schemes and resolved to leave Cangfeng City to cultivate until he could avenge his family with overwhelming strength. After the battle in the mountain hollow ended in victory for the Commander's Mansion, Chen Lingxue woke to discover Xiao Haoze had died, raising the prospect of a major conflict with the Xiao Family.

• Xing Daoyuan reflected on his failures and resolved to spend years cultivating before returning to make Cangfeng City and his enemies pay.
• The Commander's Mansion forces killed Lei Bao and wiped out the Path of Rebirth's core members in the mountain hollow.
• The final count showed that three Innate Middle Grade Martial Venerables had died and only seven of the original sixteen Innate Lower Grade Martial Venerables remained.
• Chen Lingxue woke in Jiang Qinghe's arms, freed herself, and said her injuries were no longer serious.
• Chen Lingxue recognized Xiao Haoze's corpse and realized his death could provoke the Xiao Family and endanger the Demon Slaying Headquarters.

Han Jialiang returned without capturing Xing Daoyuan, and the Commander's Mansion was left to face heavy losses from the battle. News that Xing Daoyuan had survived and wielded a powerful banner stirred the inner city, where experts began hunting for him.

• Han Jialiang returned to the mountain hollow exhausted and confirmed that Xing Daoyuan had escaped.
• Han Jialiang found Xiao Haoze dead from a single powerful strike and suspected the killer was an Innate Sixth or Seventh Rank expert.
• Han Jialiang left two injured martial practitioners to assist the Demon Slaying Division, then led the remaining seven back to the city.
• News spread that Xing Daoyuan, believed to have died in the Xing Family purge, was alive and had used a banner to wound Han Jialiang and kill three Innate Middle Grade martial venerables.
• Inner-city factions speculated that Xing Daoyuan's banner was a spirit artifact, and Profound Light Realm experts set out to find him.

After Xiao Haoze was found murdered, Xiao Yongbo ordered an investigation into everyone who had returned from the scene and mobilized the Xiao Family’s Shadows. Learning that Haoze had held a grudge against Jiang Qinghe, Xiao Yongbo decided Jiang should be dealt with at a suitable opportunity.

• Xiao Yongbo examined Xiao Haoze’s corpse and concluded that an expert skilled in concealment and assassination had killed him.
• Xiao Yonghao arrived and agreed that Haoze’s unexplained death was an affront to the Xiao Family.
• Xiao Yongbo ordered an investigation of everyone who had returned alive from the scene, including the Lin Family men, and mobilized the Shadows.
• Xiao Yonghao told Xiao Yongbo that Haoze had resented Jiang Qinghe for refusing recruitment and had wanted to eliminate him.
• Xiao Yongbo dismissed Jiang Qinghe as an insignificant Innate First Rank and ordered that he be dealt with when the opportunity arose.

After the battle, Jiang Qinghe examined the treasures taken from four slain Innate experts and added their resources to the Escaping Immortal Shuttle. He destroyed the evidence linking him to the Myriad Phenomena Bags and resolved to grow stronger while remaining cautious.

• Jiang Qinghe reviewed the authorities’ order to keep battle participants at the Commander’s Mansion and judged that his true strength was unlikely to be suspected.
• Jiang Qinghe opened four Myriad Phenomena Bags and found 160 high-grade Purple Crystal Stones, cultivation manuals, martial skills, movement techniques, pills, and other valuables.
• Jiang Qinghe chose to cultivate Azure Sky Lightning Draw in secret and Floating Light, Fleeting Shadow as his first new movement technique.
• Jiang Qinghe transferred the loot into the Escaping Immortal Shuttle and destroyed the four Myriad Phenomena Bags so they could not expose him.
• Jiang Qinghe considered the possibility that a Profound Light Realm expert might detect the Escaping Immortal Shuttle, then concluded that his strength remained far from enough.

Xiao Yonghao stormed into the Outer City Commander's Mansion and accused Jiang Qinghe of providing false intelligence that caused heavy casualties and Xiao Haoze's death. Lin Ye prevented Xiao Yonghao from taking Jiang Qinghe away, ordering Chen Lingxue to lead an internal investigation while the Supervision Department continued to pursue the case.

• Xiao Yonghao arrived with Supervision Department officers and demanded an investigation into the disastrous battle against the Path of Rebirth.
• Xiao Yonghao accused the Demon Slaying Division of possible collusion and pointed to Jiang Qinghe as the source of the intelligence.
• Chen Lingxue shielded Jiang Qinghe when Xiao Yonghao ordered his arrest without evidence.
• Jiang Qinghe argued that he had only reported an unverified clue and that Han Jialiang had planned and commanded the operation.
• Lin Ye ruled that the Commander's Mansion would investigate Jiang Qinghe internally before handing him over to the Supervision Department, and Xiao Yonghao left without him.

After the council dispute, Jiang Qinghe stayed under investigation at the Demon Slaying Headquarters and cultivated in seclusion for three months. He advanced to Innate Fifth Rank, perfected three martial skills, and emerged with much greater strength and a renewed warning for Xiao Yonghao.

• Chen Lingxue warned Jiang Qinghe that Xiao Yonghao might target him again and arranged for him to remain at headquarters during an internal investigation.
• Lian Shuheng escorted Jiang Qinghe to a guarded courtyard in Quiet Contemplation Garden, where Jiang wrote his battle report and began cultivating.
• During three months of seclusion, Jiang Qinghe visited Jiang Ziyue, learned of Zheng Borui’s respected background, and confirmed that Zhao Guangyi remained stable.
• Jiang Qinghe absorbed more than fifty High Grade Purple Crystal Stones and broke through to Innate Fourth Rank before using Potential Points to reach Innate Fifth Rank.
• Jiang Qinghe perfected Eighteen Mountain Slashes, Primordial Chaos Armor, and Breath Concealment Technique, while the Escaping Immortal Shuttle’s maximum teleport range grew to five hundred meters.
• Jiang Qinghe left seclusion confident in his increased strength and warned Xiao Yonghao that he would kill him if he continued pursuing him.

After the Xiao Family’s campaign over Xiao Haoze’s death ended in a political compromise, Jiang Qinghe returned to the Demon Slaying Headquarters and revealed that he had reached Innate Third Rank. Chen Lingxue recognized that he could fill the vacant Vice Grand Commander position and considered promoting him.

• The Inner City concluded the investigation into Xiao Haoze’s death without identifying the true culprit, and the Xiao Family’s effort to remove Chen Lingxue failed.
• The Chen Family conceded some Inner City benefits, while Chen Lingxue received a salary deduction and lost control of the expanded investigation; Jiang Qinghe received neither reward nor punishment.
• Jiang Qinghe visited Chen Lingxue and thanked her for protecting him during the political turmoil.
• Jiang Qinghe demonstrated his Innate True Qi, and Chen Lingxue realized he had advanced from Innate First Rank to Innate Third Rank in three months.
• Chen Lingxue considered Jiang Qinghe qualified to fill the vacant Vice Grand Commander post and weighed promoting him.

Chen Lingxue recommended Jiang Qinghe for Vice Grand Commander, and Lin Ye approved the promotion despite privately worrying about Jiang Qinghe’s rapid rise. Jiang Qinghe received the appointment and took office at headquarters, becoming the second-ranking figure in the Northern District’s Demon Slaying Headquarters.

• Chen Lingxue offered Jiang Qinghe the vacant Vice Grand Commander post, and he accepted while warning that the promotion might provoke criticism.
• Chen Lingxue submitted a recommendation to Lin Ye, who approved Jiang Qinghe’s appointment despite privately regretting that he had not recruited Jiang Qinghe himself.
• Yi Mingrui told Jiang Qinghe that Hong Yankun had disappeared, and Jiang Qinghe left the pursuit to his subordinates.
• The Commander's Mansion formally appointed Jiang Qinghe as Vice Grand Commander, and Chen Lingxue read the appointment at a ceremony attended by headquarters officials.
• Jiang Qinghe received his official seals and moved into the Vice Grand Commander’s office at headquarters.

Chen Lingxue invited Jiang Qinghe to the Chen Family annual gathering, and Chen Shouyi decided to assess the rising talent himself. Jiang Qinghe entered the inner city and arrived at Chen Manor as its young women discussed his reputation and prospects.

• Chen Shouyi learned that Xing Daoyuan possessed a Spirit Weapon, teased Chen Lingxue about her feelings for Jiang Qinghe, and invited Jiang to the family gathering.
• Jiang Qinghe reassured Zhang Mingyu that he held no grudge, then rode his Silver Feather Horse toward the inner city.
• Jiang Qinghe entered the inner city with his Vice Grand Commander badge and made his way to the Chen Family estate.
• Young women of the Chen Family discussed Jiang Qinghe’s rise and wondered whether he might choose one of them as a wife or concubine.
• Jiang Qinghe presented his invitation at Chen Manor and entered the estate.

Jiang Qinghe attended the Chen Family’s annual gathering with Chen Lingxue and used the Breath Concealment Technique to assess the strength of the family’s members. After the formal proceedings ended, the gathering turned into a lively banquet and its entertainment began.

• Jiang Qinghe arrived at Chen Manor and met Chen Lingxue, who welcomed him in a pale violet gown.
• Chen Lingxue led Jiang Qinghe into the main hall, where Chen Shouyi, the clan elders, family members, and invited guests had gathered.
• Jiang Qinghe activated the Breath Concealment Technique and gauged the Mystic Light Realm strength of Chen Shouyi and the elders, as well as the ranks of the younger Chen Family members.
• Chen Shouyi opened the annual gathering, and the family completed its ancestral worship, summary, and discussions of family affairs.
• Maidservants served spiritual dishes and Hundred Herb Brew as guests exchanged toasts, and the entertainment segment began.

At the Chen Family annual gathering, Chen Lingfeng challenged Jiang Qinghe out of jealousy toward Chen Lingxue, and the two began a duel after Jiang accepted. Their fight continued as Jiang countered Chen Lingfeng’s fierce Cold Star Swordplay with his seasoned saber techniques and elusive footwork.

• Chen Lingxue and Chen Lingyu fought to a draw in a display match that drew cheers from the banquet guests.
• Chen Lingfeng challenged Jiang Qinghe, hoping to target someone associated with Chen Lingxue, and proposed they fight at equal Third Rank cultivation.
• Jiang Qinghe accepted Chen Lingfeng’s challenge and met him in the center of the hall as the family elders and guests watched.
• Chen Lingfeng opened with the Cold Star Swordplay, using the strength of his higher cultivation foundation to drive a freezing sword attack at Jiang Qinghe.
• Jiang Qinghe countered with the Eighteen Mountain Slashes and elusive movement techniques as their saber and sword clashed across the arena.