Chapter Summaries

Three months later, Li Xuanxiao accepted a mission to eradicate the Tiger Demons of Weihu Mountain and traveled there alone. He hid in a Mountain God Temple as four other cultivators arrived to hunt the same demons, and he decided to watch before choosing whether to intervene.

• Li Xuanxiao tested his scorpion puppets, reflected on his stalled swordsmanship, and received a mission from Zhao Lu to eradicate the Tiger Demons of Weihu Mountain.
• Zhao Lu told Li Xuanxiao that Xue Yun had been spotted in Yun Province and that Third Senior Sister had returned with a handsome amnesiac man whose past seemed connected to her.
• Li Xuanxiao went to find Third Senior Sister but, after learning the sect master had summoned her, left Silver Sword Peak to carry out his mission.
• Zhou Yan and Bai Xue of the Xuantian Sword Sect took shelter from a storm in a Mountain God Temple, where they met the Fahua Temple monks Qingfeng and Qingming, who were also hunting the Tiger Demons.
• Li Xuanxiao, disguised as the temple's clay statue, listened to the four cultivators and decided to observe them before choosing whether to attack the Tiger Demons from the shadows.

Zhou Yan, Bai Xue, Qingfeng, and Qingming fought the white-browed Tiger Demon at the Mountain God Temple, but its stronger wife joined the battle and put Bai Xue in danger. Li Xuanxiao struck the female tiger with a sword and trapped her with a talisman, then pierced the Male Tiger as he shielded his wife.

• Zhou Yan and Bai Xue questioned a group of traveling merchants who had sought shelter in the Mountain God Temple.
• The white-browed Tiger Demon arrived and fought Zhou Yan, Bai Xue, Qingfeng, and Qingming.
• The female Tiger Demon appeared and, despite being at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, targeted Bai Xue and knocked away her sword.
• Li Xuanxiao emerged from the shrine, pierced the female tiger with a sword, and trapped her in a talisman cage.
• The Male Tiger blocked Li Xuanxiao's next thrust to protect his wife, and the sword pierced his body.

Li Xuanxiao tried to kill the Tiger Demons, but Zhou Yan and the others persuaded him to spare the devoted pair. The Female Tiger revealed a letter from the demonic cult, while Li Xuanxiao left rather than join the group retrieving it.

• Li Xuanxiao attacked the Female Tiger, but Zhou Yan blocked his sword and asked him to hear him out.
• The Male Tiger begged Li Xuanxiao to spare his wife, and Qingfeng, Zhou Yan, and Bai Xue urged Li Xuanxiao to show mercy.
• Zhou Yan spared the Tiger Demons after they promised to abandon evil, and the Female Tiger offered a letter inviting her to join the demonic cult.
• Li Xuanxiao warned that the Tiger Demons had killed more than three hundred people, but Zhou Yan told them to apologize to the victims' families instead of killing them.
• Li Xuanxiao departed while Zhou Yan, Qingfeng, and Bai Xue followed the Tiger Demons to retrieve the letter.

The Tiger Demons trapped Zhou Yan, Qingfeng, Qingming, and Bai Xue in a poisonous vine cage and killed them before fleeing with their treasures. Ling Xuanxiao ambushed the demons on the mountain path, killed them, and took their Storage Rings.

• The Male Tiger lured Zhou Yan, Qingfeng, Qingming, and Bai Xue into a cage made of indestructible vines.
• The Tiger Demons revealed that the vines released poison, and the four cultivators died after failing to escape.
• The Tiger Demons collected the cave's belongings and fled down the mountain to avoid being found by the cultivators' sects.
• Ling Xuanxiao ambushed the Tiger Demons, killing the Male Tiger with a silver-white streak and destroying the Female Tiger's puppets before striking her down.
• Ling Xuanxiao refused the Male Tiger's pleas and offer of treasure, killed him, took both Storage Rings, and followed their trail back toward the cave.

Li Xuanxiao found the remains of Zhou Yan, Bai Xue, Qingfeng, and Qingming in the tiger demons’ cave, recovered the Vine Seed Artifact, and left medicine to protect their bodies. After the tiger demons’ skins appeared in Taiping County and the county became peaceful, he returned to Shu Mountain, where he found Third Senior Sister Lin Wanqing with a strangely childlike handsome man.

• Li Xuanxiao discovered the four skeletons and the Vine Artifact in the tiger demons’ cave, then took the artifact and scattered medicine to keep beasts away.
• The tiger demons’ skins appeared in Taiping County, ending the local tiger scourge, though no one learned who had killed the demons.
• Li Xuanxiao returned to Silver Sword Peak and asked Zhao Lu to report his mission because he needed to avoid Su Wan and Jiang Luoshui.
• Li Xuanxiao went to find Lin Wanqing and watched her comfort a handsome man who called her Big Sister and released a butterfly at her request.
• Lin Wanqing noticed Li Xuanxiao, who stepped out and greeted her.

Ling Xuanxiao became suspicious of the amnesiac Fanyue and secretly investigated his identity after meeting him at Lin Wanqing’s side. His search found no records, so he set several precautions in motion and recruited Zhao Lu to learn how Fanyue had met Lin Wanqing.

• Ling Xuanxiao met Fanyue, learned that Lin Wanqing had found him by a river with lost memories and sealed meridians, and offered to help recover his memories.
• Ling Xuanxiao gave Fanyue a flying Wooden Eagle, then secretly kept two strands of his hair and searched Shu Mountain’s Grand Compendium of All Things for information about him.
• When the search found no records of Fanyue, Ling Xuanxiao made a wooden cicada to monitor him and sent anonymous warnings to the Law Enforcement Elder and Deputy Sect Leader.
• Ling Xuanxiao asked Zhao Lu to casually question Lin Wanqing about when and how she had found Fanyue, and Zhao Lu accepted the task.

Ling Xuanxiao investigated where Lin Wanqing and Fanyue had met, but found three Outer Dao Evil Cultivators searching for someone they called His Lordship. As Zhang Tianxin of the Golden Thunder Sect fought them, Ling Xuanxiao prepared to intervene, then sensed a powerful disturbance through the swords in his Sword Box.

• The Law Enforcement Elder overlooked Ling Xuanxiao’s anonymous report after becoming distracted by thoughts of Fanyue.
• Ling Xuanxiao gave Zhao Lu a Tiger Demon Pill, then left Shu Mountain to investigate the river where Lin Wanqing and Fanyue had met.
• Ling Xuanxiao found no River God or enlightened creatures at the river and sensed three concealed Outer Dao Evil Cultivators nearby.
• The three Evil Cultivators said they had followed a marker to the last place where His Lordship’s aura remained, and they captured Zhang Tianxin.
• Zhang Tianxin revealed his Golden Thunder Body Tempering Method and fought the three Evil Cultivators, while Ling Xuanxiao waited for a chance to attack.
• The swords in Ling Xuanxiao’s Sword Box began trembling violently, signaling a disturbance beyond the power of one Golden Core cultivator.

Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Tianxin were captured by a Nascent Soul demon after they encountered a demonic sect party searching for their lord’s vanished aura. They were brought before the demonic sect leader, whom Li Xuanxiao recognized as Murong Mo, the woman he had once plotted against.

• Zhang Tianxin swallowed a pill to raise her cultivation, but the Nascent Soul Old Demon subdued her with a glance and exposed Li Xuanxiao hiding underground.
• Li Xuanxiao fled using a Paper Figure decoy, but the Nascent Soul Old Demon found and captured him and Zhang Tianxin.
• The Nascent Soul Old Demon ordered the pair taken to the Venerable Lord, explaining that their group should pass responsibility upward rather than risk losing the trail themselves.
• Zhang Tianxin told Li Xuanxiao that an old fortune-teller had predicted a heavenly tribulation and guided her to the demonic sect members.
• Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Tianxin were tied to pillars in a palace, where Di Nüfeng appeared and Li Xuanxiao recognized her as Murong Mo.

Di Nüfeng captured Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Tianxin, mistook Zhang Tianxin’s silence for defiance, and whipped her while interrogating them about a missing lord. The two ended up in separate cells, where Zhang Tianxin realized Li Xuanxiao was being treated far better than she was.

• Di Nüfeng recognized Li Xuanxiao and accused him and Zhang Tianxin of being connected to her lord’s disappearance.
• Di Nüfeng whipped Zhang Tianxin while demanding answers, then ordered both captives locked in separate cells.
• Li Xuanxiao told Zhang Tianxin that their captor was Di Nüfeng of the Heavenly Fiend Hall, and Zhang Tianxin feared they had no way out.
• Zhang Tianxin saw that Li Xuanxiao’s cell was luxurious while hers held only a waste bucket, but Li Xuanxiao said it was a scheme to divide them.
• A demonic sect disciple gave Zhang Tianxin a meal and later returned with a dining cart for Li Xuanxiao.

Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Tianxin were interrogated by Di Nüfeng about her missing Lord, Fan Yue, whom Li Xuanxiao realized was at Shu Mountain. Di Nüfeng forced Li Xuanxiao to follow her, and he claimed he had infiltrated the demonic sect to help Zhang Tianxin escape.

• Li Xuanxiao ate the demonic sect's lavish meal, then meditated to absorb its carefully balanced ingredients while Zhang Tianxin watched in disbelief.
• Di Nüfeng questioned Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Tianxin about her missing Lord and revealed that he was Fan Yue, the first Hall Master of Heavenly Fiend Hall, who had recently reincarnated and disappeared.
• Di Nüfeng released Li Xuanxiao but ordered Zhang Tianxin beaten again, then told Li Xuanxiao he could either follow her or die.
• Li Xuanxiao swore to follow Di Nüfeng and appeared before Zhang Tianxin in demonic sect robes, claiming he had infiltrated the sect to help him escape.

Li Xuanxiao settled into his role as Di Nüfeng’s favored servant while secretly preparing to escape Heavenly Fiend Hall with Zhang Tianxin. He staged a failed escape that got Zhang Tianxin beaten and transferred to the Heaven-class cell, then told her their plan had already succeeded halfway.

• Li Xuanxiao served Di Nüfeng by entertaining her with stories and massaging her feet while witnessing her cruel treatment of her human dogs.
• Li Xuanxiao visited Zhang Tianxin in prison and claimed he had obtained a map of the demonic sect and could help her escape that night.
• At Three Geng, Li Xuanxiao used a Sound Recording Stone to distract Di Nüfeng, freed Zhang Tianxin, and led her into the sect’s passages.
• When demonic sect disciples caught up with them in a dead end, Li Xuanxiao kicked Zhang Tianxin and helped the guards beat her, pretending she had tried to escape.
• The disciples dragged Zhang Tianxin to the Heaven-class cell, where Li Xuanxiao later told her their plan had succeeded halfway.

Li Xuanxiao rescued Zhang Tianxin from the demonic sect and escaped with her across the Dead Sea on a flying sword. Di Nüfeng discovered his farewell letter and flew into a rage, blaming Liu Qiushui for his insult.

• Li Xuanxiao opened the secret passage through the Heaven-class cell entrance and gave Zhang Tianxin a spirit fruit to restore her strength.
• Li Xuanxiao led Zhang Tianxin through the dangerous passage to the Dead Sea and warned her about its mysterious pull.
• Li Xuanxiao summoned a flying sword from his Sword Box, was wounded by its Sword Qi, and seized Zhang Tianxin as it carried them away across the Dead Sea.
• Di Nüfeng learned that Li Xuanxiao had fled with Zhang Tianxin and read his letter declaring their parting and praising Liu Qiushui's looks.
• Di Nüfeng charged out in fury, vowing to kill Li Xuanxiao and fight Liu Qiushui.

After returning to Shu Mountain, Li Xuanxiao debated whether to tell the sect that Fanyue was the reincarnated founder of Heavenly Fiend Hall, but seeing Lin Wanqing's affection for Fanyue convinced him not to. He decided to seek a way to use Shu Mountain's inner sword formation against Fanyue and entered seclusion to prepare.

• Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Tianxin confirmed their location and parted ways, and Li Xuanxiao returned to Shu Mountain with serious injuries and knowledge of Fanyue's identity.
• Li Xuanxiao questioned Zhao Lu about Fanyue and Lin Wanqing, but kept his suspicions secret and went to Tongtian Peak to consider reporting them.
• Li Xuanxiao imagined the risks of exposing Fanyue and drew three copper coins that predicted great misfortune.
• The Water Qilin examined Fanyue, found no apparent threat, and settled down, easing Lin Wanqing's suspicion of him.
• Li Xuanxiao saw Lin Wanqing dote on Fanyue and abandoned the idea of reporting him, deciding instead to use the core of Shu Mountain's sword formation.
• Li Xuanxiao told Zhao Lu he would enter seclusion and ordered her to keep others from disturbing him.

Fanyue dreamed that he would destroy the Nine Provinces and kill countless people, then woke in tears and found comfort in Lin Wanqing’s promise to stand by him even if the whole world opposed him. While chasing a runaway mechanical puppy, he followed it into the fog-shrouded back mountain of Tongtian Peak and heard a flute guiding him onward.

• Fanyue dreamed of himself standing amid flames and ruins after killing countless people, then woke in terror and ran to Lin Wanqing.
• Fanyue asked whether Lin Wanqing would still love him if he killed innocent people, and she promised to protect him even if everyone turned against him.
• Lin Wanqing gave Fanyue a Mohist Mechanical Arts puppy, which suddenly ran away while he played with it on Silver Sword Peak.
• Fanyue rode an immortal crane after the flying puppy and leaped onto a mountain peak, where he found it unharmed.
• Fanyue realized he had entered the fog-covered back mountain of Tongtian Peak, then followed the sound of a flute through the mist.

Fanyue recovered his memories after following a wandering soul into Shu Mountain’s sword pool, where the Shushan Sword Formation trapped him and attacked. As Fanyue’s demonic power surged when he called out to Lin Wanqing, Li Xuanxiao invoked a talisman and began a strange ritual to strengthen the formation.

• A wandering soul lured Fanyue to the open Jade Gate, and he entered Shu Mountain’s sword pool.
• Fanyue remembered that a Shu Mountain Sword Cultivator had killed him after he left the demonic sect, and he recognized Lin Wanqing as someone he had sought across three lives and worlds.
• Li Xuanxiao activated the Shushan Sword Formation with a talisman, trapping Fanyue inside as the swords attacked him.
• Fanyue fought back with demonic energy and grew stronger as he called out to Lin Wanqing and spoke of their bond.
• Li Xuanxiao slapped the talisman onto his forehead and began chanting while performing circling steps.

Ling Xuanxiao used the Shushan Sword Formation to destroy Fanyue, then erased the evidence and left Shu Mountain unable to explain what had happened. When Lin Wanqing prepared to search for Fanyue, Li Xuanxiao urged her to accept his departure and remember that Shushan Disciples served the common people.

• Ling Xuanxiao invoked the Shushan Sect Leader's power and used the Shushan Sword Formation to kill Fanyue.
• Ling Xuanxiao erased the traces of the fight, swallowed a pill, and reviewed his plan for possible mistakes.
• Daoist Lingxu investigated the sword formation, but Shu Mountain found no useful clues and eventually ended its martial lockdown.
• Lin Wanqing decided to descend the mountain and search for Fanyue, fearing he would be tricked.
• Li Xuanxiao suggested that Fanyue had recovered his memories and reminded Lin Wanqing that Shushan Disciples acted for the common people, not one person.

Ling Xuanxiao followed the Twin-Life Gu Worm’s signal to find Lin Wanqing poisoned in a forest, where he discovered and killed a Gold-Silver Blood Snake. After checking her belongings, he found a map in Fanyue’s handwriting, recalling that Fanyue had once shown Lin Wanqing a place he could not remember; Lin Wanqing remained unconscious.

• Ling Xuanxiao sensed through the Twin-Life Gu Worm that something had happened to Lin Wanqing and left Shu Mountain to find her.
• Ling Xuanxiao found Lin Wanqing poisoned and used a puppet scorpion to identify the snake venom.
• A Gold-Silver Blood Snake attacked the puppet scorpion, and Ling Xuanxiao used his three puppets to capture it.
• Ling Xuanxiao swept the forest clear with wind, collected the snake’s venom, and burned the Gold-Silver Blood Snake to ash.
• Ling Xuanxiao found a crude map in Lin Wanqing’s Storage Ring and recognized it as Fanyue’s handwriting.
• Ling Xuanxiao recalled Fanyue drawing the map for Lin Wanqing and promising that he would be happy as long as he was with her.

Li Xuanxiao entered Fanyue’s hidden chamber and learned the tragic history of Fanyue and Lin Wanqing’s past lives. He took the three treasures prepared for Lin Wanqing, destroyed the chamber, and left her with no trace of what she had been meant to find.

• Li Xuanxiao entered the chamber with Lin Wanqing’s blood and recovered memories of Fanyue and Lin Wanqing’s three reincarnations.
• Li Xuanxiao learned that Lin Wanqing had twice loved Fanyue, and that both lives had ended in tragedy after she tried to save him.
• Li Xuanxiao found Fanyue’s Dragon Scale Armor, Wind Chariot, and Sky Mending Pill, all prepared for Lin Wanqing, and took them for himself.
• Li Xuanxiao destroyed and buried the chamber, carried the unconscious Lin Wanqing to safety, and left after erasing his aura.
• Lin Wanqing woke, recovered for several days, and followed Fanyue’s map to the site, but found nothing and departed alone.

Ling Xuanxiao left Shu Mountain to undergo tribulation, preparing a hidden cavern and deciding to attempt a first-grade Golden Core. As thunderclouds gathered, he faced the start of his breakthrough while Fanyue wandered as a disembodied soul, searching for a body.

• Ling Xuanxiao told Zhao Lu to cultivate and stay out of trouble while he went down the mountain to undergo tribulation.
• Ling Xuanxiao found Second Senior Brother drunk and heartbroken, then left without disturbing him.
• Di Nüfeng called for Fanyue, who severed their connection and struggled to understand who had sabotaged his third reincarnation.
• Ling Xuanxiao evaded anyone following him and entered a prepared underground cavern with traps, a Paper Figure, and formations to protect his tribulation.
• Ling Xuanxiao chose to attempt forming a first-grade Golden Core, and thunderclouds gathered above him.

Ling Xuanxiao faced the lightning tribulation to form a First-grade Golden Core while Fanyue attempted to possess his body. Ling Xuanxiao’s preparations trapped and killed Fanyue, and the resulting karmic return triggered a hidden variant of his tribulation.

• Ling Xuanxiao prepared to undergo the lightning tribulation and endured its first six bolts as he advanced toward forming a Golden Core.
• Fanyue spotted Ling Xuanxiao’s vulnerable state and charged through twelve Soul-Exterminating Formations, Shu Mountain True Fire, and ice lotuses to reach him.
• Fanyue possessed Ling Xuanxiao, but the body bound his soul and a Confucian Sage manifestation attacked him with golden rays.
• Ling Xuanxiao sensed an intruder but stayed focused on the tribulation, which seemed weaker than he had expected.
• After Ling Xuanxiao killed Fanyue, karma returned to him and the Heavenly Dao triggered a hidden variant.