Chapter Summaries

Bai Ze collected Liu Nianxin’s Sword Heart Sublimation Pill and part of the Spirit Stones she owed him before joining her and their masters to examine three map fragments. They learned the fragments led to the East King Sword Saint’s inheritance, and Bai Ze and Liu Nianxin kept them while they searched for the missing piece.

• Bai Ze accepted Liu Nianxin’s Sword Heart Sublimation Pill and about thirty thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones, then proposed that she make up the remaining amount with resources he needed.
• Su Yao asked Bai Ze to add his map fragment to Liu Nianxin’s two pieces, and the three fragments fitted together with one piece missing.
• Liu Nianxin explained that the East King Sword Saint had been a renowned peak Earth Saint Realm expert who defeated another Sword Saint to claim his title.
• Hong Yan and Su Yao told Bai Ze and Liu Nianxin they could pursue the inheritance together, and Su Yao explained that the map fragments also served as keys to its entrance.
• Su Yao returned the fragments to Bai Ze and Liu Nianxin and warned them to keep them safe, while Liu Nianxin resented that Bai Ze had gained part of her map.

Bai Ze prepared to advance his cultivation and Sword Intent as demonfolk poured through a shattered seal in the Southern Region. The Sword Sect and other forces mobilized to reseal the breach, while masked conspirators vowed to destroy more seals and plunge the continent into chaos.

• Bai Ze cultivated after consuming the Sword Heart Sublimation Pill and prepared for his breakthrough into the Void Realm.
• Shangguan Fengyun told the Sword Sect’s peak masters that demonfolk had invaded after the seal near Town Heaven City shattered, and organized a mission led by Supreme Elder Fang Yun.
• Lei Ming, Zhou Chen, and Li Kuangran joined the operation as the Sword Sect’s three Earth Saint Realm experts.
• Elder Nan strengthened the Sword Sect’s seal and warned Shangguan Fengyun to investigate whether an outside force had caused the Sky Burning Gate’s seal to break.
• Demonfolk surged through the shattered seal as masked conspirators revealed their plan to destroy more seals and help their god return.

Bai Ze advanced his sword comprehension and learned from Hong Yan about the demons and Pseudo-Demons that had devastated the Northern Continent. With the Ping Tian Battlefield closed because of the demon crisis, Hong Yan directed him toward the Sword Absolute Secret Realm once he met the conditions for training there.

• A month after the sealing was sabotaged, Bai Ze reached the sixth level of Sword Intent and practiced sword techniques as his comprehension of heaven and earth deepened.
• Bai Ze realized he could turn the power of heaven and earth into his own Sword Intent, and Hong Yan advised him on the transformation needed to reach the Void Comprehension Realm.
• Hong Yan told Bai Ze to remain in the sect because the Ping Tian Battlefield was sealed while demons were being hunted near the Sky Burning Gate.
• Bai Ze asked whether demons had destroyed the Bright Sword Sect, and Hong Yan explained that Pseudo-Demons had caused an ancient calamity that left the Northern Continent weakened.
• Hong Yan said Pseudo-Demons were connected to true demons and a mysterious evil organization, then directed Bai Ze to train in the Sword Absolute Secret Realm after his power began to transform.

Bai Ze entered the Sword Absolute Secret Realm, where heaven-and-earth power was cut off and disciples competed for the best cultivation spots. After meeting Lei Jun and settling into a middle-ranked spot, Bai Ze accepted Zhou Ming’s challenge.

• The secret realm elder explained the entry and stay rules, and Bai Ze registered and entered the secret realm.
• Bai Ze met Lei Jun of Thunder Peak, learned how the sealed realm worked, and found a place to cultivate.
• Several days later, Lei Jun and Zhang Feng challenged each other for the Number Nine cultivation spot.
• Zhou Ming of Blazing Flame Peak challenged Bai Ze, and Bai Ze immediately accepted.

Bai Ze watched Lei Jun defeat Zhang Feng, then faced Zhou Ming in the arena and won decisively with his swordsmanship. Zhou Ming admitted defeat, leaving Bai Ze's strength on display as Lei Jun looked on.

• Lei Jun defeated Zhang Feng with Lightning Storm Slash and won the battle for ninth position.
• Lei Jun praised Bai Ze and revealed he had recognized him as the disciple who reached Shattering Realm Perfection without an innate Special Physique.
• Bai Ze and Zhou Ming began their arena match, and Bai Ze broke through Zhou Ming's opening attack with the Instant Sword Drawing Technique.
• Zhou Ming used Flying Flame Swordplay and the Hand of the Fire God, but Bai Ze's sword techniques and golden swords overwhelmed his attacks.
• Zhou Ming admitted defeat, and Bai Ze stopped his assault.

Bai Ze left the cultivation area to hone his growing strength by fighting Fierce Beasts, while Ouyang Lun and the gathered experts began resealing the demonfolk passage. The chapter ended as the Seal Heaven Demon Array descended upon the demonfolk.

• Lei Jun praised Bai Ze's strength, and Bai Ze returned to cultivating after their conversation.
• Seven days later, Bai Ze yielded his cultivation spot and entered the secret realm's depths to fight Fierce Beasts and master his power.
• Ouyang Lun and the Sky Burning Gate's Supreme Elder agreed with the gathered experts to reseal the passage and suppress the demonfolk.
• The Supreme Elder supplied the sealing materials, and Ouyang Lun formed an array while the experts fought off the demonfolk's assault.
• Ouyang Lun activated the Seal Heaven Demon Array, and the surrounding experts channeled their power into it as it descended upon the demonfolk.

Ouyang Lun and the sects restored the demon seal at Sky Burning Gate and strengthened defenses around the seals. Meanwhile, the Golden Masked Black Robe and the Holy Master advanced a wider plan, sending agents to the Central Domain to obtain the Blood Shadow Essence Stone within a year.

• Ouyang Lun reinforced the restored seal, and Sky Burning Gate’s Supreme Elder promised to guard it after the traitor who damaged it was caught and dealt with.
• Ouyang Lun announced that he would inspect the demon seals regularly, while the sects agreed and began purging remaining demons from the Central Continent.
• The Golden Masked Black Robe ordered two Heaven Saint Realm subordinates to deliver a captured Heaven Saint Realm demon to Lord Holy Emissary without exposing their tracks.
• The Golden Masked Black Robe reported to the Holy Master, who ordered agents to support Moon Wolf and Sun Tiger in obtaining the Blood Shadow Essence Stone in the Central Domain within one year.
• The sects strengthened concealment and defenses around the demon seals, though they could not be sure whether hidden infiltrators remained among them.

Bai Ze cultivated and fought his way up the Sword Absolute Secret Realm rankings before breaking through to the Void Comprehension Realm. He returned to Misty Peak, where Hong Yan praised his progress and encouraged him to pursue the Sword Son position.

• Bai Ze defeated the disciple ranked twenty-fifth and continued challenging and defending against disciples until he reached eleventh place.
• Lei Jun broke through to the Void Comprehension Realm in his second month and left the secret realm.
• Bai Ze completed the transformation and circulation of the power within his body, then broke through to the Void Comprehension Realm a week later.
• Bai Ze left the secret realm, collected his True Disciple token and resources, and traveled to Misty Peak.
• Hong Yan praised Bai Ze's rapid breakthrough and predicted he had a good chance of becoming a Sword Son, and Bai Ze vowed to fight for the position.

Hong Yan gave Bai Ze the King Ming Sword Heart Art and five powerful martial skills, then explained how the Heaven-Piercing Tower’s titles granted heaven-and-earth certification and enhanced power. Bai Ze returned to his courtyard with a clearer understanding of the Tower and the techniques he would cultivate.

• Hong Yan gave Bai Ze the King Ming Sword Heart Art, explaining that it required the King Ming Sword Body and the Void Comprehension Realm.
• Hong Yan passed Bai Ze three sword arts, a movement art, and a Soul Secret Technique to prepare him for the Heaven-Piercing Tower assessment.
• Hong Yan showed Bai Ze her Ice Lotus Sword King mark and explained that Tower-awarded titles carried heaven-and-earth blessings, unlike self-proclaimed titles.
• Hong Yan told Bai Ze that the five Heaven-Piercing Towers’ origins were unknown and that they had suppressed powerful intruders.
• Bai Ze returned to his courtyard, considered the Tower’s immense power, and examined the five top-grade Void Realm martial skills Hong Yan had given him.

Bai Ze converted his cultivation art and trained the Flowing Wind Thirty-Six Steps and King Ming Body-Breaking Sword, preparing to improve them before challenging the Heaven-Piercing Tower. Meanwhile, the Sacred Alliance began targeting the major forces’ younger generation as the Evil Spirit Holy Lord completed his array and revealed that he was the Evil God.

• Bai Ze converted the Bright Sword Art into the King Ming Sword Heart Art, strengthening and purifying the power within his body.
• Bai Ze practiced the Flowing Wind Thirty-Six Steps and King Ming Body-Breaking Sword until he mastered their basics, then decided to train them to Lesser Accomplishment before challenging for a King-tier Title.
• Shangguan Fengyun and Fang Yun discussed the Sacred Alliance’s return and the recent battle in the Central Domain, concluding that the Sword Sect needed the Holy Heaven Pavilion’s help.
• The Evil Spirit Holy Lord ordered the Sacred Alliance to kill genius disciples of the major forces over the next several hundred years and weaken their succession.
• The Evil Spirit Holy Lord completed the Evil Spirit Heaven-Defying Array and declared that he would break through to the Demigod Realm and reach the true God Realm, revealing that he was the Evil God.

The Nether God, inhabiting the Evil Spirit Holy Lord’s body, activated the Evil Spirit Heaven-Defying Array to prepare for a future breakthrough into the God Realm. After months of training, Bai Ze strengthened his sword techniques and sought resources to advance his King Ming Sword Body, but still needed a Heart-Illuminating Stone.

• The Nether God activated the Evil Spirit Heaven-Defying Array and entered a coffin to have its power transform his body into a divine body.
• After more than two months of cultivation, Bai Ze brought the King Ming Body-Breaking Sword Art and Flowing Wind Thirty-Six Steps to the Lesser Accomplishment Realm.
• Bai Ze assessed his strength and planned to gather treasures to advance his Acquired King Ming Sword Body.
• Bai Ze went to the Resource Pavilion and exchanged spirit stones for the needed resources, but could not find a Heart-Illuminating Stone.

Bai Ze tested his strength against Hong Yan as he prepared to seek a King-tier Title at the Heaven-Piercing Tower. Hong Yan judged him ready, and Bai Ze left the Sword Sect for the tower the next day.

• Bai Ze asked Hong Yan about the Heart-Illuminating Stone, but she knew of no source he could reach, so he decided to pursue a King-tier Title first.
• Hong Yan suppressed her strength to Bai Ze’s realm and fought him, testing his sword arts and combat ability.
• Bai Ze unleashed his King Ming Body-Breaking Sword techniques, but Hong Yan countered him with her Ice Lotus Sword arts and sent him staggering backward.
• Hong Yan told Bai Ze that his strength was sufficient to attempt the Heaven-Piercing Tower and gave him further cultivation guidance.
• Hong Yan privately marveled at Bai Ze’s talent, while Bai Ze reviewed their battle in his courtyard.
• The next day, Bai Ze left the Sword Sect and headed for the Heaven-Piercing Tower.

Bai Ze traveled to the Thunder Fire Merchant Guild headquarters in Shengren City and bought the Heart-Illuminating Stone needed to improve his King Ming Sword Body. With all the required materials gathered, he began cultivating in an inn before heading to the Heaven-Piercing Tower.

• Bai Ze learned that the Thunder Fire Merchant Guild headquarters had Heart-Illuminating Stones and traveled to Shengren City.
• Bai Ze traded surplus materials and martial manuals worth 2,860 High-grade Spirit Stones for a Heart-Illuminating Stone, receiving the remaining 1,860 High-grade Spirit Stones back.
• Bai Ze checked into an inn and set up a third-grade Spirit Gathering Array to cultivate his King Ming Sword Body using the materials he had gathered.
• As his cultivation consumed the room's spiritual energy, Bai Ze set up another Spirit Gathering Array and continued improving his King Ming Sword Body.

Bai Ze reached the Lesser Accomplishment Realm in his Acquired King Ming Sword Body and traveled to the Heaven-Piercing Tower to pursue a King-tier Title. There, he rebuffed Zhang Kuang’s taunts, and Zhang Kuang threatened revenge after they left the tower.

• Bai Ze broke through to the Lesser Accomplishment Realm in his Acquired King Ming Sword Body, increasing his combat strength by roughly thirty percent.
• Bai Ze traveled to Heaven-Piercing Peak and arrived at the Heaven-Piercing Tower, where most of the other candidates were at the late Void Comprehension Realm.
• Several martial artists questioned why Bai Ze had come at the early Void Comprehension Realm, but he calmly ignored their remarks.
• Zhang Kuang mocked Bai Ze, urged him to leave, and insulted him when Bai Ze did not respond.
• Bai Ze told Zhang Kuang to get lost and warned him against starting a fight before the tower, where violence was forbidden.
• Zhang Kuang identified himself as a Personal Disciple of the Yue Tian Sect and threatened to make Bai Ze pay after they left the Heaven-Piercing Tower.

Bai Ze entered the Heaven-Piercing Tower to begin the King-tier Title assessment and passed its first test by defeating a puppet. He moved on to the second assessment, while an elderly observer judged that Bai Ze had a strong chance of earning the title.

• Zhang Kuang threatened to kill Bai Ze, but Bai Ze remained unafraid and resolved to kill him after leaving the tower.
• The Heaven-Piercing Tower opened, and Bai Ze and the other Void Comprehension Realm martial artists entered for the King-tier Title assessment.
• The tower announced that candidates had to defeat an opponent in one of the rooms within an hour to pass the first assessment.
• Bai Ze entered a room and destroyed a same-realm puppet with his Ming Sword, passing the first assessment.
• An elderly man at the top of the tower assessed Bai Ze's swordsmanship, soul, and cultivation, and considered him a strong candidate for the King-tier Title.
• Bai Ze reached the site of the second assessment.

Bai Ze began the Sky-Reaching Road trial, which required reaching the end within five hours. He realized the road had to be traversed in his consciousness and continued forward through visions meant to disrupt his mind.

• Zhang Kuang threatened Bai Ze, promising to deal with him after the trials.
• The trial’s voice announced that participants had to reach the Sky-Reaching Road’s end within five hours, and an hourglass appeared as the timer.
• Bai Ze raced along the road, but after more than two hours he still could not see its end and concluded that speed alone could not pass the trial.
• Bai Ze entered his consciousness and found a golden road, realizing that the true Sky-Reaching Road lay within his mind.
• Bai Ze ignored apparitions of slain enemies and familiar people who tried to distract or attack him, continuing steadily along the golden road.

Bai Ze passed the second trial after realizing the endless Sky-Reaching Road was an illusion, then entered a vast small world to begin the third trial. Above, Zhang Wenxuan and Nangong Tian discussed the upcoming recruitment by Upper Realm sects, whose true purpose remained hidden from the martial artists.

• Bai Ze resisted the attacks of people he had killed, reached the end of the illusory stairs, and gained a clearer understanding of the martial path.
• Bai Ze awakened to discover that the Sky-Reaching Road had been an illusion and learned he had passed the second trial.
• Bai Ze entered the third trial, which required killing at least one hundred Fierce Beasts of his realm within three days, and set off across the small world.
• Other martial artists who passed the second trial appeared far apart throughout the small world.
• Nangong Tian visited Zhang Wenxuan, and they discussed Upper Realm sects recruiting disciples in several decades and the demanding requirements for joining them.

Bai Ze continued the third assessment, killing Fierce Beasts until he had nearly reached the required total. A fast, stealthy Shadow Mantis ambushed him, and when it pursued him, Bai Ze decided to lure it to a valley and fight it there.

• Nangong Tian and Zhang Wenxuan discussed the potential of martial artists like Bai Ze to join their sect in the Upper Realm.
• Bai Ze hunted Fierce Beasts and counted ninety-six toward the third assessment, leaving only a few more kills to pass.
• A late Void Comprehension Realm Shadow Mantis ambushed Bai Ze with rapid, concealed attacks, but he blocked it using the King Ming Domain.
• Bai Ze tried to flee rather than waste time fighting the Shadow Mantis, but it pursued him.
• Bai Ze decided to lure the Shadow Mantis out of the forest and kill it in a distant valley.

Bai Ze lured a pursuing Shadow Beast into a valley and used his sword techniques to overcome its speed and kill it. The kill completed the required count of one hundred Fierce Beasts, allowing him to pass the third King-tier Title assessment.

• Bai Ze led the Shadow Beast that had been chasing him into a valley, where its speed and ability to hide would be less effective.
• Bai Ze surrounded the Shadow Beast with golden swords and attacked it while restricting its movements.
• Bai Ze used the Cold Light Sword Art to freeze the area and slow the Shadow Beast as it tried to flee.
• Bai Ze struck the Shadow Beast with the King Ming Body-Breaking Sword and then pierced its head with the Reverse Heart Sword, killing it.
• Bai Ze completed the required count of one hundred Fierce Beasts and passed the third assessment of the King-tier Title.

Bai Ze reached the fourth King-tier assessment, where he had to carve a martial skill onto a stone wall and master another skill within seven days. He perfected the Three Hearts Flat Sun Sword Art in five days and six hours, passed the trial, and prepared to move on.

• Bai Ze arrived at the fourth assessment and learned he had to leave behind a martial skill and cultivate a new one to Perfection within seven days.
• Bai Ze carved Three Sword Slashes onto the stone wall and began studying the Three Hearts Flat Sun Sword Art.
• Zhang Kuang arrived, saw Bai Ze had reached the fourth trial, and angrily dismissed his earlier success as luck before beginning his own cultivation.
• Bai Ze steadily advanced his mastery of the Three Hearts Flat Sun Sword Art and reached Perfection after five days and six hours.
• The Heaven-Piercing Tower announced that Bai Ze had passed the fourth assessment, startling the other martial artists as he prepared to proceed.