Recaps

Liu Qiushui defeated Old Demon and his disciple, then took Li Xuanxiao to the reclusive Ghost Hand Divine Doctor Zhang Wenxuan for treatment. Zhang began examining Li Xuanxiao’s damaged soul, threatening to expose his secret.

• Liu Qiushui struck Old Demon down with a single palm, but let him and his disciple escape when Li Xuanxiao tried to flee.
• Old Demon identified Liu Qiushui as the Red-clothed Demoness and told his disciple to report her appearance directly to Shu Mountain.
• One month later, Liu Qiushui brought Li Xuanxiao to Zhang Wenxuan’s clinic in Yong'an Town and asked him to examine the damage from a forced soul search.
• Zhang Wenxuan inserted a silver needle into the back of Li Xuanxiao’s head, and Li Xuanxiao worried that the examination would reveal his secret.

Zhang Wenxuan examined Li Xuanxiao and discovered his divine soul was badly damaged, while Li Xuanxiao continued pretending to be an idiot under Liu Qiushui’s watch. Liu Qiushui repeatedly left Yong'an Town to rebuild her forces, and Li Xuanxiao waited for a chance to escape.

• Zhang Wenxuan’s probes triggered Li Xuanxiao’s layered defenses, including an Inner Demon and a God-Devouring Gu, before he found a damaged Nascent Soul and estimated that only one-quarter of Li Xuanxiao’s divine soul remained.
• Liu Qiushui ordered Zhang Wenxuan to heal Li Xuanxiao, who then stayed at Zhang Wenxuan’s home and kept pretending to be an idiot.
• Liu Qiushui enjoyed the quiet life in Yong'an Town for a time, but she soon began leaving and returning as she worked to consolidate Asura Hall’s remaining forces.
• Li Xuanxiao watched Liu Qiushui and Zhang Wenxuan without acting, while Zhang Wenxuan reminded him that telling Liu Qiushui the truth earlier would have put him in danger.

Ling Xuanxiao heard Zhang Wenxuan’s account of how Liu Bantian framed him and promised to submit evidence to Shushan. After Zhang showed him rescued children and records of Liu Bantian’s crimes, Ling Xuanxiao stayed to investigate his strange nascent soul, while the carefree youth awoke after his failed attempt at Soul Possession.

• Zhang Wenxuan told Ling Xuanxiao that Liu Bantian had used him to prepare medicine involving children’s souls, then falsely blamed him for the slaughter.
• Ling Xuanxiao promised to bring any evidence Zhang Wenxuan had to the Shushan Sect Leader and seek justice.
• Zhang Wenxuan showed Ling Xuanxiao the children he had rescued, Liu Bantian’s manuscripts, and evidence that Liu Bantian’s corpse bore traces of consuming human medicine.
• Zhang Wenxuan wept with relief when Ling Xuanxiao accepted the evidence, and Ling Xuanxiao stayed to have him examine the nascent soul in his body.
• The carefree youth woke and recalled being hunted by Liu Qiushui, targeted for alchemy, struck by the Dharma Seal, and badly injured during his attempted Soul Possession.

Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Wenxuan sealed Happy Youth’s soul and spent forty-nine days studying poison while Li recovered. After Liu Qiushui left again, Li prepared to return to Shushan, promising Zhang Wenxuan he would clear his name.

• Zhang Wenxuan used Soul Devouring Silver Needles to seal Happy Youth’s soul, and explained that it would be subdued after forty-nine days.
• Li Xuanxiao studied the Poison Scripture and discussed the Dao with Zhang Wenxuan while his Nascent Soul came under his control.
• Liu Qiushui returned injured and spoke of staying with Ling Xuanxiao, but Li arranged for Zhang Wenxuan to remind her of her unfinished task, and she soon left again.
• Zhang Wenxuan drugged the two Spirit Transformation Stage followers Liu Qiushui left behind, putting them to sleep for several months.
• Li Xuanxiao promised to explain Zhang Wenxuan’s case to his Master and clear his name, then bid farewell as Zhang thanked him.

Zhang Wenxuan brought the children and fabricated evidence to Shushan, believing Ling Xuanxiao had fallen for his scheme, but Shushan killed him in a sword formation. Months later, Shushan restored the surviving children’s health, and Ling Xuanxiao secretly set out to help them find their families.

• Zhang Wenxuan forced the children to claim Liu Bantian had refined them and prepared false evidence to deceive Shushan.
• After receiving Ling Xuanxiao’s letter, Zhang Wenxuan brought the children to Shushan and met Ling Xuanxiao.
• Shushan activated its sword formation and killed Zhang Wenxuan before he could explain himself.
• Ling Xuanxiao revealed he had never trusted Zhang Wenxuan and had used him to escape Liu Qiushui’s grasp.
• Months later, Shushan helped the children recover, though their souls could not be restored.
• Ling Xuanxiao carried the children away at night and began helping them search for their homes.

Ling Xuanxiao secluded himself to investigate the Nascent Soul that had appeared inside him while his clones established Divine Grass Mountain’s cultivation arrangements. After ending seclusion, he learned that Lu Ziyin had chosen him for a slot in the opening Purple Cloud Secret Realm ahead of the Five Great Immortal Sect Martial Arts Competition.

• Ling Xuanxiao avoided entering his cottage while Su Wan visited, and Zhao Lu eventually led her away before she could uncover his underground chamber.
• Worried that his sudden Nascent Soul might destabilize his cultivation, Ling Xuanxiao began seclusion and set safeguards against an Inner Demon and cultivation deviation.
• After half a year, Ling Xuanxiao’s main body had stabilized, while his first and second clones reached Divine Grass Mountain and began putting his plans into action.
• Ling Xuanxiao’s clone established a Spirit-Gathering Formation and connected with the mountain’s spiritual vein, improving the efficiency of his cultivation.
• Lu Ziyin summoned Ling Xuanxiao and offered him a slot in the Purple Cloud Secret Realm, which would open before the Five Great Immortal Sect Martial Arts Competition.

Li Xuanxiao agreed to enter the Purple Cloud Secret Realm with Su Wan after Liu Yidao urged him to seize the opportunity. At Purple Cloud Gorge, the gathered factions were unsettled when the Mysterious Yin Cult’s Blood Disciple Hand arrived openly aboard a massive Flying Ship.

• Lu Ziyin told Li Xuanxiao that Su Wan had offered to escort him through the Purple Cloud Secret Realm and let him keep its gains.
• Li Xuanxiao initially refused, but agreed after Liu Yidao stressed the opportunity and the benefits of forming a core before fifty.
• Several days later, Li Xuanxiao and Su Wan traveled to Purple Cloud Gorge with other Shushan disciples, including Zhao Lu, as factions gathered for the secret realm’s opening.
• A massive Flying Ship arrived over the gorge, and cultivators recognized it as belonging to the Mysterious Yin Cult.
• Blood Disciple Hand appeared above the gathered factions, leaving the righteous cultivators and Rogue Cultivators alarmed about his purpose.

Blood Disciple Hand came to Purple Cloud Gorge to boast about the Mysterious Yin Cult’s rise and provoke the gathered sects, especially Shushan. When he threatened a Golden Core Stage female cultivator, Su Wan and Feng Yun intervened, and Shushan Sect Leader Lingxu suddenly appeared.

• Blood Disciple Hand declared that the Mysterious Yin Cult had replaced Asura Hall among the Four Great Demonic Cults and attacked cultivators who muttered against him.
• Blood Disciple Hand taunted the Five Great Immortal Sects and Shushan, while Li Xuanxiao persuaded Su Wan not to challenge him rashly.
• Feng Yun rebuked Blood Disciple Hand for bullying the weak, and he seized a female disciple from a small sect to threaten Shushan.
• A Golden Core Stage female cultivator drew her sword against Blood Disciple Hand, who overwhelmed her with a wave of killing intent.
• Su Wan and Feng Yun stepped in to protect the female cultivator, and Shushan Sect Leader Lingxu appeared in the gorge.

Lingxu arrived at the Purple Cloud Secret Realm entrance and crushed Blood Disciple Hand and the Mysterious Yin Cult’s forces, allowing the cultivators to enter the realm. Inside, the cult’s conspirators revealed that their slaughter plan was only a small prelude to a larger plot at the Grand Competition of the Five Great Immortal Sects.

• Lingxu appeared at the canyon entrance, and Feng Yun recognized him as the Shushan Sect Leader and taunted Blood Disciple Hand.
• Lingxu punched Blood Disciple Hand into distant mountains, then destroyed the Mysterious Yin Cult’s Flying Ship as its disciples tried to flee.
• The Purple Cloud Secret Realm opened, and Su Wan urged Li Xuanxiao and the others to use sound-transmission talismans to find one another after entering.
• Inside the Purple Cloud Secret Realm, a conspirator confirmed that the cult’s slaughter plan would proceed and said the Grand Competition of the Five Great Immortal Sects was its true target.

Li Xuanxiao discovered that followers of the Death Immortal were hunting cultivators in the Purple Cloud Secret Realm and began tracking them. Three days later, the Cold Damage Sect’s refusal to distinguish between patients and enemies left righteous cultivators in danger as more attackers arrived.

• Two followers of the Death Immortal killed righteous cultivators before Li Xuanxiao ambushed them and learned their mission through soul search.
• Li Xuanxiao warned Zhao Lu to gather the Shushan Disciples and hurried to find them.
• Su Wan and the Shushan Disciples fought a group of black-clad attackers, and one attacker detonated his Golden Core to cover his companions’ retreat.
• Li Xuanxiao continued hunting the Death Immortal’s followers, searching their souls and looting their corpses over the next three days.
• A Cold Damage Sect disciple treated a wounded black-clad attacker before a righteous cultivator’s injured Senior Brother, insisting that all wounded deserved care.
• More black-clad attackers charged toward the group as the cultivators fell into despair, and a figure suddenly appeared.

Li Xuanxiao uncovered a plot to destroy the Purple Cloud Secret Realm and confronted the black-robed man behind it, but lost a clone in the volcano. After the secret realm closed and the Shu Mountain group escaped safely, he remained concerned that the Death Immortal Society had another plan.

• Li Xuanxiao defeated the black-clad men and discovered through soul searching that their memories had been sealed to conceal a scheme involving the Purple Cloud Secret Realm.
• Li Xuanxiao learned that the black-robed man planned to ignite ancient Phoenix blood essence in a volcano, and he attacked the man with his clones.
• The black-robed man revealed that the Death Immortal Society intended to target the Five Great Immortal Sects, then dragged Li Xuanxiao into the magma, where they both died.
• Li Xuanxiao's main body considered the black-robed man's warning and sent another clone to set up a formation at the volcano.
• Several days later, the Purple Cloud Secret Realm closed, and the Shu Mountain group departed safely.

As the Five Great Immortal Sects Grand Competition approached Shu Mountain, Li Xuanxiao prepared for a tangle of dangerous storylines and rallied his clones and puppets to defend the sect. The competition began amid a flood of visitors, and Li Xuanxiao rushed around managing trouble before an old acquaintance addressed him.

• Li Xuanxiao compiled possible threats and countermeasures for the competition, including plots involving Xue Yun, his Second Senior Brother, Sixth Senior Sister, Great Xia's Old Emperor, and Death Immortal's followers.
• Li Xuanxiao gathered his six clones and puppets, urged them to resist anyone threatening Shu Mountain, and identified the Shushan Sword Formation, Lingxu, and Sweeping Grandfather as his three trump cards.
• Two months later, visitors flooded Shu Mountain as the Five Great Immortal Sects Grand Competition began.
• Li Xuanxiao stopped a Servant Peak disciple from mistreating two rogue cultivators and hurried off to handle another situation.
• Li Xuanxiao interrupted Jin Mochen's dramatic vow to Momo, then turned when someone called him Junior Disciple Xuanxiao.

Xue Yun returned to Shu Mountain and reunited with Li Xuanxiao, then brushed off Lu Ziyin’s challenge because the Five Great Immortal Sects’ grand competition was underway. Meanwhile, Mu Jianchen, Yun Ran’s estranged Dao Companion and the father of her child, was persuaded to attend the competition and watch their child from afar.

• Xue Yun returned to Silver Sword Peak alone and told Li Xuanxiao that his sister-in-law was at home.
• Xue Yun reunited with Lu Ziyin, who challenged him to a fight, but an elder warned them to be careful during the grand competition.
• Yun Ran received notice that her child could attend Shushan Academy after the sect master approved the admission.
• Mu Jianchen worried that his Calamity Fate would bring disaster upon Yun Ran and their child, but the Death Cult’s Deputy Cult Master persuaded him to attend the competition and watch from afar.
• The chapter revealed that Mu Jianchen had left Yun Ran after they fell in love because he feared his misfortune would harm her and their child.

The Deputy Cult Master brought Mu Jianchen to Shu Mountain, hoping that seeing his daughter suffer would turn him against the sect. Mu Jianchen first saw her happy with the other children, then watched her confront a bully, leaving the Deputy Cult Master’s plan in doubt.

• The Deputy Cult Master led Mu Jianchen into Shu Mountain under the cover of the Grand Competition and brought him to Shushan Academy.
• Mu Jianchen saw his daughter sitting alone in a tree and relived memories of his own childhood loneliness.
• The girl’s fellow children praised her for protecting the world from Outer Realm Demons, then Zhao Lu arrived with sugar figurines and the girl happily joined the others.
• The Deputy Cult Master insisted that Shu Mountain’s kindness was a false appearance and described how Yun Ran and her daughter were supposedly mistreated.
• A girl with pigtails shoved Mu Jianchen’s daughter and threatened to have her and Yun Ran expelled, but Mu Jianchen’s daughter answered with a string of elaborate insults.

Mu Jianchen tried to reconnect with his daughter on Shu Mountain, but her blunt answers and teasing drove him away. Meanwhile, the Great Xia Emperor advanced a Death Immortal Sect scheme involving a spy inside Shu Mountain, and the spy revealed himself to be Li Xuanxiao.

• Mu Jianchen watched his daughter bully another child, then approached her as she read a book alone.
• Mu Jianchen asked the girl about her father, and she guessed he was her father after revealing Sister Zhao Lu had told her to expect him.
• Mu Jianchen fled when the girl called him Father, leaving the Deputy Cult Master worried that their plan had failed.
• The Death Immortal appeared before the Death Immortal Sect's master and ordered him to activate the spy inside Shu Mountain.
• The Old Emperor, secretly posing as the Death Immortal, planned to attack Shu Mountain from within and without while traveling to the mountain.
• The Deputy Cult Master met the hidden spy on Silver Sword Peak and learned his name was Li Xuanxiao.

Li Xuanxiao tried to convince the Deputy Cult Master that he could serve as a spy inside Shu Mountain, while the Death Cult Master recalled how he had learned to trust Li Xuanxiao after attending his interview classes and reading his books. The chapter left the Deputy Cult Master evaluating Li Xuanxiao’s reliability as a Shu Mountain infiltration candidate.

• Li Xuanxiao told the Deputy Cult Master that he had joined the Death Cult after failing to reach Foundation Establishment at Shu Mountain.
• The Death Cult Master recalled attending Li Xuanxiao’s paid interview classes and learning how to answer questions from demonic cult recruiters.
• Li Xuanxiao taught the Death Cult Master that villains should cultivate style and elegance instead of relying on crude brutality.
• The Death Cult Master bought Li Xuanxiao’s books, which proposed publicity campaigns, talent recruitment, new businesses, and rewards to strengthen demonic cults.
• The Death Cult Master sought out Li Xuanxiao and asked him to help the Death Cult, declaring that Shu Mountain commanded the strongest force under heaven.

Ling Xuanxiao’s past deeds convinced the Death Cult Master that he was a powerful asset, and Li Xuanxiao’s plan set the cult up to cause chaos during the Five Great Immortal Sects tournament. The tournament began at Shu Mountain, where Zhao Lu’s match was interrupted by her opponent’s bizarre pill side effect.

• The Death Cult Master learned that Ling Xuanxiao had killed the former Shushan Sect Leader and decided he was a formidable asset to the demonic path.
• Li Xuanxiao proposed that Death Cult followers pretend to be poisoned and attack people to trigger a chaotic melee, while the Cult Master suggested they wear red silk scarves to recognize one another.
• Li Xuanxiao reassured the Deputy Cult Master that their plan was proceeding as intended before the Deputy Cult Master left.
• The Five Great Immortal Sects tournament opened at Shu Mountain, and Zhao Lu began competing in the Foundation Establishment group.
• Zhao Lu’s Xuantian Sword Sect opponent swallowed a Savage Bull Pill, powered up, then began mooing when its side effect took hold.

Shu Mountain took the first two Foundation Establishment matches as Shangguan Suiyun sensed his younger sister from the Demon Suppressing Pagoda and fought with Asura Hall's Right Protector. Li Xuanxiao tried to make his match against Li Mubai look difficult, but the bout left Li Mubai exhausted after he broke through to the seventh level of the Profound Heavy Sword Technique.

• Zhao Lu won the first match, and Feng Liuli won the second.
• Shangguan Suiyun sensed his younger sister and argued with Asura Hall's Right Protector, then the two began fighting.
• Li Xuanxiao faced Li Mubai of the Xuantian Sword Sect and carefully matched his attacks while pretending to struggle.
• Li Mubai's increasingly fierce attacks exhausted him, but they helped him break through to the seventh level of the Profound Heavy Sword Technique.
• As Li Mubai stood panting before the trenches his sword had carved into the arena, a hand shot from the ground and grabbed his ankle.

Li Xuanxiao won his match at the Five Great Immortal Sects' competition while hiding his identity and learned that Yang Quanzi had mistaken him for a notorious Evil Cultivator. The chapter ended with Yang Quanzi naming Li Xuanxiao as the Death Cult's spy in Shu Mountain, certain that his own accusations proved the man was no righteous cultivator.

• Li Xuanxiao defeated Li Mubei with an earth-escape technique, while Li Mubei broke through his Profound Heavy Sword Art during the fight.
• Li Xuanxiao told Xue Yun that Yan Zidong had gone mad during cultivation, then corrected himself when Lu Ziyin was present.
• Yang Quanzi arrived late at the competition with his disciple, who described how an Evil Cultivator had summoned Liu Qiushui to injure Yang Quanzi.
• Yang Quanzi recognized Li Xuanxiao but did not expose him, saying he lacked evidence and the time was not right.
• Yang Quanzi secretly met the Death Cult's Vice Cult Master, who identified Li Xuanxiao as the spy in Shu Mountain.
• Yang Quanzi called Li Xuanxiao a scumbag who used children to refine pills and had become Liu Qiushui's dog, convincing the Vice Cult Master that he was no righteous cultivator.

Ling Xuanxiao watched the grand competition unfold as Shu Mountain suffered an unexpected Nascent Soul loss and the Death Cult secretly provoked conflict between sects. As the final Spirit Transformation battle began, Xue Yun stepped forward to face the celebrated Mo Ye, who immediately conceded.

• Ling Xuanxiao narrowly defeated a foul-mouthed Heavenly Dao Alliance spear wielder after the opponent provoked him during their match.
• Silver Sword Peak's Second Senior Brother lost his Nascent Soul battle after spending the competition's opening days with his former girlfriends.
• The Death Cult ordered its hidden believers to provoke Shu Mountain disciples and feign injuries to stir up conflict between sects.
• Mo Ye arrived as the Heavenly Dao Alliance's Spirit Transformation representative, renowned for his swordsmanship and victories over powerful demons.
• Xue Yun stepped into the arena to challenge Mo Ye, who smiled and conceded.

Mo Ye surrendered to Xue Yun rather than fight him, and the Soul Formation contest ended as the Death Cult launched an attack beneath the arena. Shu Mountain exposed and arrested the infiltrators, while the Old Emperor realized his plan had been discovered again; at the Demon Suppressing Pagoda, disciples confronted an arriving senior brother.

• Mo Ye remembered the Sword Saint's advice to surrender if he ever had to face Xue Yun, then left the arena without fighting him.
• After a report of unrest at Shu Mountain, Death Cult followers attacked the assembled cultivators and blamed Shu Mountain for the violence.
• Sect Leader Lingxu stopped the fighting, and Shu Mountain disciples arrested the Death Cult's Deputy Cult Master and others marked with red silk ribbons.
• The Death Cult's Cult Master realized Shu Mountain had uncovered the spy plan, while Li Xuanxiao remained undiscovered and the Deputy Cult Master silently entrusted the mission to him.
• The Old Emperor wondered who had exposed his plan but decided the fish had taken the bait.
• At the Demon Suppressing Pagoda, disciples challenged a senior brother who tried to enter without the Sect Leader's command token.

Xue Yun entered the Demon Suppressing Pagoda’s formation despite Li Xuanxiao’s plea to return to Silver Sword Peak. When the Death Cult’s leader revealed the Myriad Souls Banner during a battle, Li Xuanxiao recognized the Old Emperor’s involvement but hid his reaction as the Old Emperor searched for the person opposing him.

• Xue Yun entered the Demon Suppressing Pagoda’s formation after the Shushan guards collapsed.
• Li Xuanxiao confronted Xue Yun and urged him to return to Silver Sword Peak, describing the troubles facing their fellow disciples.
• Xue Yun told Li Xuanxiao to go back alone and stay there, despite his junior brother’s warning about the Sect Leader’s death.
• The Death Cult’s leader unleashed the Myriad Souls Banner against three Tribulation Crossing Stage experts, summoning ghostly figures and two great demons.
• Li Xuanxiao suspected the Old Emperor was behind the banner but suppressed his urge to look at him.
• The Old Emperor searched the crowd for the hidden opponent he believed was sabotaging his plan.

Ling Xuanxiao fled after Xue Yun overwhelmed his sword strike and revealed a Natal Sword that awakened Shu Mountain’s thirty-six sword steles. As Xue Yun faced Sweeping Grandfather and Li Xuanxiao prepared the Shushan Sword Formation, Raging Wind was about to fall until readers rallied behind him.

• Ling Xuanxiao struck Xue Yun with a poisonous sword light, but Xue Yun purified the poison and unleashed overwhelming Sword Qi, forcing Ling Xuanxiao to escape underground.
• Sweeping Grandfather confronted Xue Yun and urged him to turn back, but Xue Yun summoned his Natal Sword and insisted that he had made his choice.
• Xue Yun’s Natal Sword awakened Shu Mountain’s thirty-six sword steles, whose Sword Spirits swarmed Sweeping Grandfather and trapped him.
• Li Xuanxiao appeared before Xue Yun and declared, “Shushan Sword Formation, open!!”
• At the Demon Suppressing Pagoda, Raging Wind was close to being swallowed by darkness until Ming Baiying, Liang Pi Er Liang, and other readers lent him their strength.

As the Myriad Souls Banner shrouded Shu Mountain and the Shushan Sword Formation failed, Lingxu confronted the banner while the Deputy Sect Leader followed Lingxu’s emergency orders to protect the mountain. At the Demon Suppressing Pagoda, Li Xuanxiao activated the Shushan Sword Formation against Xue Yun, whose resilience let him withstand its attack.

• The Deputy Sect Leader warned Lingxu that someone had controlled the Shushan Sword Formation as the Myriad Souls Banner spread demonic qi over Shu Mountain.
• Lingxu broke through the demonic qi and tried to seize the Myriad Souls Banner, but it fled and he pursued it.
• The Deputy Sect Leader opened Lingxu’s secret edict and ordered disciples to return to Shu Mountain, protect the people, and guard key locations and peaks.
• Outside the Demon Suppressing Pagoda, Li Xuanxiao activated the Shushan Sword Formation against Xue Yun.
• Xue Yun endured the formation’s Sword Qi Cage as swords from the Sword Pavilion joined the attack, while Li Xuanxiao’s clone performed a special set of steps and recited a verse.

Xue Yun fought Li Xuanxiao while Happy Old Man’s blood ritual corrupted Shu Mountain’s sword veins and weakened its formation. Li Xuanxiao cleansed the formation but was left unable to stop Xue Yun, who still intended to destroy the Demon Suppressing Pagoda to save Baili.

• Xue Yun battled Li Xuanxiao’s Shu Mountain Sword Formation while Li Xuanxiao drew on the Sword Spirit’s power to fight him.
• Happy Old Man sacrificed three thousand children and sent their blood through Shu Mountain’s earth veins, corrupting the sword pool and formation.
• Li Xuanxiao used the formation’s Sword Qi to cleanse its polluted veins, then shut the formation down and collapsed from exhaustion.
• Xue Yun told Li Xuanxiao that the Seed of Curse of the Death Immortal had been implanted in Baili and that she would die in three days unless the Demon Suppressing Pagoda was destroyed.
• Li Xuanxiao pleaded with Xue Yun to seek help from the sect and warned that destroying the pagoda would bring catastrophe, but Xue Yun struck him aside.