Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

• Xia Wuyou’s arrival and authority: A massive, two-headed black bird carrying Worry-Free City’s City Lord, Xia Wuyou, descends above the city. His overwhelming God-Demon Aura frightens everyone, including the visiting Myriad Dynasty Prodigies. His appearance demonstrates that, despite Worry-Free City’s decline, its surviving powerhouses remain formidable.
• Punishment of the Myriad Dynasty Prodigy: Xia Wuyou reprimands the arrogant Myriad Dynasty Prodigy for showing malicious intent toward the city guards. He declares that all visitors must obey Worry-Free City’s rules and orders the prodigy to pay double the entry tax—ten God-Battle Points instead of five. The prodigy suppresses his fury and submits, fearing Xia Wuyou may kill him if he resists. Afterward, the gate guard coldly collects the payment, further humiliating him.
• Entry into Worry-Free City: Xia Wuyou’s display of power forces the other prodigies waiting outside to abandon their objections and pay the required five God-Battle Points. Xiao Chen also pays and enters the city. When his accumulated total is revealed to be twenty points, the surrounding prodigies are shocked, since he has already obtained substantial gains despite having only recently entered the God-Demon Battlefield.
• Reactions to Xiao Chen: The prodigies are especially astonished to learn that Xiao Chen comes from Great Xia, an obscure lower-ranked dynasty in the Azure Spirit Domain. They assume such a weak and unknown dynasty should have little chance of survival, making Xiao Chen’s achievements seem even more remarkable. His prior success establishes him as an unexpected threat and talent among the elite.
• Condition of Worry-Free City: Inside the city, Xiao Chen finds ruined streets, impoverished residents, and deserted shops. The devastation reflects the long-term consequences of the ancient God-Demon War, which destroyed the Azure Dragon Domain’s former prosperity. The surrounding villages and towns are even more vulnerable, frequently suffering attacks and massacres by demons and mutated beasts.
• New task from the Domain Spirit: Soon after entering the city, Xiao Chen receives a mission through the Domain Spirit of the God-Demon Battlefield: destroy the Demon Hound Grotto near Lijia Village. Rewards will be based on his performance and the number and strength of demons he kills. Xiao Chen learns that the Domain Spirit evaluates each prodigy and assigns them regional demon-clearing missions. These tasks are highly dangerous, with many expected to die, but they also offer major opportunities and valuable God-Battle Points.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Xia Wuyou is established as a powerful, impartial, and intimidating authority who enforces local rules regardless of a visitor’s status or background.
• The Myriad Dynasty Prodigy experiences a sharp reversal of fortune, moving from arrogance and entitlement to fear, humiliation, and forced submission.
• Xiao Chen remains observant and restrained, recognizing the danger posed by both the city’s inhabitants and the battlefield’s demons. His unexpectedly high God-Battle Point total marks him as an individual worthy of attention.
• Xiao Chen and the surrounding prodigies are indirectly contrasted: while many are still struggling merely to survive, Xiao Chen has already earned significant rewards and is now entrusted with a dangerous mission.
• Major themes include the survival of old powers amid decline, the humiliation of arrogance before overwhelming strength, the harsh hierarchy between dynasties, and the battlefield’s combination of extreme danger and extraordinary opportunity.

Chapter Summary: “Preparing to Slay Demons”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter introduces the Aberrated, or Mutated, Demons of the Azure Spirit Domain. Nourished by the blood of Gods and Devils and altered by mysterious energy, these demons possess greatly enhanced bodies, souls, and demonic power.
• The Myriad Dynasty Prodigies in Worry-Free City receive missions from the God-Demon Battlefield’s Domain Spirit. Their targets are powerful mutated demons, whose bodies may contain valuable God-Demon Monster Cores and the extremely rare Gods-and-Devils Demon Balm.
• Xiao Chen learns that Monster Cores are far more valuable than ordinary demon cores, while Demon Balm can improve a cultivator’s innate potential and physical foundation.
• Although killing is forbidden inside Worry-Free City, the dynasties remain rivals and will resume fighting once they leave the city. The battlefield therefore offers both opportunity and extreme danger.
• Xiao Chen receives a mission concerning the Demon Hound Grotto, ruled by the cruel Six-Armed Spirit-Fire Dog Demon known as the Demon Hound General or Mountain Lord of Orange Fire Mountain.
• The Demon Hound General and its guards terrorize Lijia Village and nearby settlements, regularly eating villagers—especially infants, mothers, young women, and even some men. The demons treat the villages as a source of food and entertainment.
• Xiao Chen has recently fought a major battle and is still injured. He decides to remain in Worry-Free City overnight, recover, and travel to Lijia Village the following day to eliminate the demons.

Character Development

• Xiao Chen becomes increasingly aware of the gap between his current cultivation and the strongest geniuses in the God-Demon Battlefield. Though his foundation is exceptional and he possesses the Martial God Physique, his relatively low realm limits his strength.
• He develops a strong desire to obtain battlefield treasures to break through the King Realm Heavenly Gate, advance his cultivation, and compete for a top-ten position in the Myriad Dynasty War.
• Xiao Chen’s motivations expand beyond seeking Moli and personal advancement. He recognizes that remaining on the Xuanhuang Continent would hinder his growth, making his journey to the Spirit Realm necessary.
• Despite his injuries, Xiao Chen remains determined to confront the Demon Hound General. His reaction to the demons’ cruelty reinforces his willingness to act against powerful evil.

Significant Themes

• Opportunity versus danger: The God-Demon Battlefield contains rare treasures and opportunities for rapid growth, but every reward is guarded by terrifying mutated demons.
• The harshness of competition: The Myriad Dynasty War is portrayed as brutally selective. Only a tiny number of cultivators may qualify to enter the Spirit Realm, and even the top ten dynasties must pass further assessments.
• The need for a stronger environment: Xiao Chen’s extraordinary foundation cannot develop fully in a resource-poor region. His advancement requires the spiritual energy, treasures, and dangers of the wider world.
• Predation and injustice: The Demon Hound General’s abuse of villages emphasizes the vulnerability of ordinary humans and establishes the demon-slaying mission as both a test and an act of justice.
• Power and cultivation potential: The chapter highlights the importance of innate talent, physical constitutions, cultivation realm, and treasures such as Gods-and-Devils Demon Balm.

Character Interactions

• Two Fengxing Dynasty cultivators discuss the value of God-Demon Monster Cores and Gods-and-Devils Demon Balm. Xiao Chen overhears them through his heightened spiritual senses and gains important information.
• The exchange also demonstrates the rivalry among the dynasties: although they temporarily avoid violence within Worry-Free City, they generally withhold information from one another and remain enemies outside the city.
• Xiao Chen reflects on the guidance and predictions of Qiongqi, who warned that his growth would be extremely slow if he remained on the Xuanhuang Continent.
• Through the mission dossier, Xiao Chen learns of the Demon Hound General’s atrocities and prepares to confront it, setting up the next chapter’s demon-slaying battle.

Chapter Summary: Lijia Village Shrouded in Misfortune

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen searches for food and lodging in Worry-Free City but is repeatedly rejected after revealing that he is from the Myriad Dynasties.
• He eventually finds a tavern operated by the City Lord’s Manor, which was established specifically for the incoming Myriad Dynasty cultivators.
• The tavern’s waiter explains that Azure Dragon Domain natives despise the Myriad Dynasty because past participants in the Myriad Dynasty Wars used local civilians as bait and sacrificed millions of lives to complete missions cheaply and earn more God-Battle Points.
• Xiao Chen eats an expensive but small portion of spirit vegetables and rice. Because he has only fifteen God-Battle Points, he is forced to ration his food.
• He rents the cheapest room, leaving him with only nine God-Battle Points. Though the room is shabby, its Spirit Gathering Array provides pure Source Energy for cultivation.
• Xiao Chen uses two stalks of Demonblood Grass given to him by Bai Ruoyou to heal the severe wounds he sustained in battle.
• The next morning, he sets out for Lijia Village to hunt demons, acquire God-Demon Monster Cores, and earn God-Battle Points.
• Upon arrival, he finds the village covered in dense black qi and overwhelming demonic aura, signaling that the situation is far more dangerous than expected.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen becomes aware of the historical crimes committed by Myriad Dynasty cultivators and gains a better understanding of the locals’ hostility. Although shocked, he recognizes that arrogant prodigies may have treated ordinary people as expendable tools.
• His poverty and limited resources force him to become practical and restrained. He refuses to spend more on food and chooses the cheapest lodging despite his injuries and hunger.
• Xiao Chen remains ambitious, eager to obtain treasures and God-Battle Points, but he also reminds himself not to become careless in the dangerous God-Demon Battlefield.
• His decision to use the Demonblood Grass shows that he is willing to spend valuable resources to prepare properly for the battle with the Demon Hound General.

Significant Themes

• Historical guilt and inherited resentment: The locals’ hatred is rooted in the atrocities committed by previous Myriad Dynasty cultivators, showing how the actions of past generations shape present relationships.
• Dehumanization and sacrifice: The chapter condemns the practice of treating ordinary lives as disposable bait in pursuit of power and rewards.
• Survival and resource scarcity: Food, lodging, healing materials, and cultivation resources all carry enormous costs, forcing Xiao Chen to balance immediate needs against future survival.
• Ambition versus caution: Xiao Chen seeks wealth and advancement but understands that greed and overconfidence could lead to death.
• Outsider alienation: As a newcomer from the Myriad Dynasties, Xiao Chen is viewed with suspicion despite his intention to help defend local villages.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and the restaurant owners: Several owners reject him outright because of his Myriad Dynasty identity, emphasizing the depth of local resentment.
• Xiao Chen and the tavern waiter: The waiter reluctantly serves him and explains the historical reasons behind the hostility, though his sneering attitude reflects the locals’ continued distrust.
• Xiao Chen and Bai Ruoyou: Although Bai Ruoyou does not appear directly, the Demonblood Grass she previously gave Xiao Chen plays an important role in healing him and preparing him for the next battle.
• Xiao Chen and the Myriad Dynasty cultivators: Their shared poverty and discomfort in the tavern highlight their dependence on scarce resources and their unfamiliarity with the harsh conditions of the Azure Dragon Domain.

Chapter Summary: “Slaying Gou Yanglong”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen detects a powerful demonic aura near Lijia Village and secretly approaches.
• He discovers that the village is being terrorized by Gou Yanglong, a brutal Dog Demon and subordinate of the Demon Hound General.
• Gou Yanglong has repeatedly abducted village youths for his amusement. Five have already died horribly in the past month, and he now demands five more.
• The villagers, led by the white-haired village chief Li Degui, kneel helplessly before Gou Yanglong and beg him to spare their children.
• Xiao Chen intervenes, appearing suddenly before the demon and condemning his cruelty.
• Gou Yanglong initially mistakes Xiao Chen for a weak young man and even suggests taking him back as a personal plaything.
• Enraged, Xiao Chen draws the restored Dragon Slayer Sword and launches a devastating attack.
• His sword releases immense purple King Qi and severs Gou Yanglong’s right arm in a single strike.
• The villagers realize that Xiao Chen is a young King Realm expert and begin to view him as a possible savior.
• Gou Yanglong, revealed to be a first-level King Realm demon himself, recognizes that Xiao Chen’s combat power is far superior. He changes from arrogance to fear and attempts to negotiate.
• When Xiao Chen refuses to spare him, Gou Yanglong tries to intimidate him by revealing that he serves the powerful Demon Hound General, lord of Orange Fire Mountain. The confrontation remains unresolved at the chapter’s end.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates his strong sense of justice and hatred of cruelty, especially the abuse of innocent youths. He acts decisively rather than hesitating, revealing both his moral resolve and overwhelming combat strength. His restored Dragon Slayer Sword proves extraordinarily powerful but is noted to consume significant Source Energy.
• Gou Yanglong: Initially arrogant, predatory, and confident in his status as a Demon King. After losing an arm to Xiao Chen, he quickly becomes cautious and submissive, showing that his brutality is backed largely by power and authority. He then resorts to using his superior’s reputation as protection.
• Li Degui and the villagers: Their fear and helplessness emphasize how completely the demons dominate the surrounding human settlements. Xiao Chen’s arrival gives them their first real hope of resistance.

Significant Themes

• Justice versus oppression: Xiao Chen’s intervention represents resistance against demons who exploit powerless villagers.
• The abuse of power: Gou Yanglong treats Lijia Village as his private hunting ground, illustrating the cruelty of unchecked authority.
• Hidden strength and mistaken identity: Gou Yanglong underestimates Xiao Chen because of his youth and appearance, only to discover that he is an exceptionally powerful King Realm cultivator.
• Fear and submission: The villagers fear Gou Yanglong, while Gou Yanglong immediately fears Xiao Chen once his strength is revealed, showing how power governs relationships in the battlefield.
• Moral distinction among violence: The chapter contrasts ordinary demonic predation with Gou Yanglong’s particularly sadistic treatment of the youths, making Xiao Chen’s decision to kill him seem morally unavoidable.

Important Character Interactions

• Li Degui and Gou Yanglong: Li Degui pleads for the village’s young people, but Gou Yanglong dismisses his suffering and demands five more victims.
• Xiao Chen and Gou Yanglong: Their encounter shifts from Gou Yanglong’s predatory interest in Xiao Chen to open combat, followed by Gou Yanglong’s fearful attempt at negotiation.
• Xiao Chen and the villagers: Though they do not know his identity, the villagers witness his extraordinary speed and swordsmanship and begin to regard him as a potential protector.
• Gou Yanglong and the Demon Hound General: Gou Yanglong invokes his allegiance to the Demon Hound General as a final attempt to deter Xiao Chen and preserve his life.

Summary: “Enormous Gains”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen’s identity as a Great Xia Heavenly Prodigy from the Myriad Dynasty is revealed to the villagers. Because the Azure Dragon Domain’s people associate Myriad Dynasty cultivators with atrocities, the villagers immediately become wary and afraid of him.
• Xiao Chen confronts Gou Yanglong, the Demon Hound General, a powerful First-Level King Realm Mutated Demon. Despite Gou Yanglong’s fearsome reputation, Xiao Chen kills it with a single sword strike.
• The God-Demon Battlefield’s Domain Spirit publicly announces Xiao Chen’s victory, awarding him ten God-Battle Points. His total rises to nineteen points.
• The announcement shocks nearby Myriad Dynasty Prodigies, who had believed Great Xia cultivators to be weak and easy prey. Xiao Chen realizes that the public notice may attract enemies hoping to ambush him and steal his points.
• Xiao Chen uses the Dragon Slaying Fortune Seizing Sutra on Gou Yanglong. Though initially concerned that the demon’s evil nature might contaminate him, he ultimately absorbs its fortune and monster core, gaining a large amount of powerful, God-Demon-infused energy.
• From Gou Yanglong’s memories, Xiao Chen learns that the Demon Hound General is an unusually rare Mutated Demon with the potential to evolve into a Divine Demon. It possesses Sacred Copper Blood and has already formed a valuable Gods-and-Devils Demon Balm.
• Tempted by the enormous rewards, Xiao Chen considers attacking the Demon Hound Grotto on Orange Fire Mountain, but restrains himself and acknowledges that the thousand-year-old Demon Hound General is extremely dangerous.
• Several villagers, led by Li Degui, beg Xiao Chen not to use them as bait or harm them. Xiao Chen reassures them that he only intends to eliminate demons and will not hurt them.
• To prevent the demon corpse’s baleful aura from harming the villagers, Xiao Chen drags Gou Yanglong’s body away and leaves it in the wilderness for mutated beasts to consume.
• As Xiao Chen heads toward Orange Fire Mountain, a mysterious young man carrying an ancient spear appears and comments on Xiao Chen’s good fortune in killing a Mutated Demon.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen demonstrates overwhelming combat strength by killing Gou Yanglong instantly, but he also shows caution and maturity by resisting the urge to attack the far more powerful Demon Hound General immediately.
• His priorities become clearer: he seeks both God-Battle Points and cultivation resources, especially the energy in Mutated Demon cores and the Demon Hound General’s Gods-and-Devils Demon Balm.
• Xiao Chen remains compassionate and honorable despite the villagers’ suspicion. He refuses to exploit or harm them and takes steps to protect them from the demon corpse.
• The villagers’ view of Xiao Chen begins to shift. They remain distrustful due to their historical fear of Myriad Dynasty cultivators, but his actions make them question whether he truly resembles the monsters of legend.
• Gou Yanglong is established as more than a simple enemy: it is a powerful, abnormal demon with the potential to become a Divine Demon and possesses exceptionally valuable resources.

Significant Themes

• Prejudice and reputation: Xiao Chen is judged by his affiliation with the Myriad Dynasty rather than by his own actions, reflecting the long-lasting consequences of past violence.
• Strength versus caution: Although Xiao Chen has gained a decisive victory, he understands that defeating one demon does not mean he can recklessly challenge a stronger opponent.
• Opportunity and danger: God-Battle Points, monster cores, and Demon Balm offer immense rewards, but public recognition also exposes Xiao Chen to enemy attacks.
• Moral identity: Xiao Chen’s humane behavior contrasts with the villagers’ expectations that all Myriad Dynasty cultivators are cruel demons.
• Transformation and cultivation: Mutated Demons, God-Demon energy, and Divine Demon evolution emphasize the battlefield’s extraordinary power system and the potential for rapid advancement.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Gou Yanglong: Their brief confrontation establishes Xiao Chen’s superior swordsmanship and ends with Gou Yanglong’s immediate death.
• Xiao Chen and the villagers: The villagers approach him in terror, while Xiao Chen responds patiently and reassures them. His treatment of them begins to challenge their inherited fear of Myriad Dynasty cultivators.
• Xiao Chen and Li Degui: Li Degui acts as the villagers’ spokesman, pleading for mercy; Xiao Chen directly promises not to use them as bait or harm them.
• Xiao Chen and the mysterious spear-wielding youth: The chapter ends with their first encounter, suggesting a new rivalry, alliance, or confrontation as the stranger recognizes Xiao Chen’s recent accomplishment.

Chapter Summary: Fierce Battle Against a Star Realm Ranking Fringe Prodigy

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the God-Demon Battlefield’s ancient forest, Xiao Chen encounters Shi Cai, a powerful cultivator from the Feathered Kingdom.
• Shi Cai has tracked Xiao Chen because Xiao Chen possesses ten God-Battle Points obtained from killing a mutated demon near Lijia Village.
• Believing Great Xia to be the weakest kingdom and Xiao Chen to be an insignificant First-Level King Realm cultivator, Shi Cai intends not only to steal his points but also to kill him.
• Shi Cai introduces himself arrogantly and declares that dying by his spear would be Xiao Chen’s “glory.”
• He launches a powerful spear attack accompanied by lightning and a black dragon formed from spear energy.
• Xiao Chen responds with his spirit sword and a devastating purple sword technique involving six annihilating symbols. He avoids the attack’s full force and clashes directly with Shi Cai in the sky.
• Their first exchange ends without either side being defeated, shocking Shi Cai, who had expected to destroy Xiao Chen instantly.
• Xiao Chen is also surprised that Shi Cai survives his sword strike, which contained roughly sixty to seventy percent of Xiao Chen’s killing power.
• Enraged by Xiao Chen’s dismissive remark, Shi Cai attacks again. The two engage in more than a thousand rapid exchanges, with lightning and spear shadows filling the heavens.
• The battle remains unresolved at the chapter’s end. Xiao Chen’s sword has suffered nearly a hundred chips, while Shi Cai’s ancient spear is vastly superior in quality.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates that he is far stronger than the common perception of Great Xia’s cultivators. Despite being only in the First Level of the King Realm, he can withstand and counter the attack of a renowned Star Realm prodigy. His confidence and refusal to submit reveal his growing self-assurance, though he recognizes Shi Cai as a genuine threat.
• Shi Cai: Initially acts like an unquestionable victor, viewing Xiao Chen as helpless prey. His confidence is shaken when Xiao Chen blocks his opening attack. His pride and sense of superiority make him increasingly furious, especially after Xiao Chen implies that Shi Cai merely survived his sword strike.
• Power contrast: Shi Cai’s strength is validated by his reputation as “Lei Xing, Black Dragon Spear,” a cultivator ranked around 112th among the Star Realm geniuses of the Azure Spirit Domain and close to the top one hundred. Xiao Chen’s performance establishes him as an extraordinary exception to Great Xia’s reputation for weakness.

Significant Themes

• Prejudice based on origin: Shi Cai assumes Xiao Chen is worthless solely because he comes from Great Xia, reflecting the broader belief that cultivators from prosperous kingdoms possess superior foundations.
• Defiance against hierarchy: Xiao Chen challenges the established power structure by resisting a renowned Star Realm prodigy despite his lower cultivation realm and supposedly inferior background.
• Arrogance versus true ability: Shi Cai has the strength to support his pride, but his contempt causes him to underestimate Xiao Chen and lose his composure.
• Reputation and hidden talent: The fight questions whether rankings, kingdom status, and established reputations accurately measure an individual’s potential.
• Survival and ruthlessness: Unlike ordinary encounters where surrender might preserve one’s life, Shi Cai seeks complete extermination, emphasizing the brutal nature of the God-Demon Battlefield.

Character Interactions

• Shi Cai treats Xiao Chen as an inferior creature and openly explains that he intends to rob and kill him.
• Xiao Chen directly challenges Shi Cai’s assumption of victory, refusing to be intimidated by his status or threats.
• Their verbal exchange intensifies the conflict: Shi Cai boasts that Xiao Chen has no chance, while Xiao Chen’s later comment that Shi Cai merely “survived” his sword strike wounds Shi Cai’s pride.
• Their relationship is immediately adversarial, driven not by personal history but by Shi Cai’s greed, prejudice, and desire for recognition.
• The physical battle mirrors their personalities: Shi Cai attacks with overwhelming, domineering spear techniques, while Xiao Chen responds with precise, destructive swordsmanship and unexpected resilience.

Chapter Summary: The Might of the Dragon Slayer Sword

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen and Shi Cai engage in a fierce battle. Despite being only a First-Level King Realm cultivator, Xiao Chen’s exceptional swordsmanship allows him to injure Shi Cai, a Third-Level King Realm Star Realm known as Lei Xing, Black Dragon Spear.
• Xiao Chen’s Quasi-King Artifact sword is shattered during the battle. Shi Cai believes this leaves Xiao Chen defenseless and prepares to kill him.
• Xiao Chen reveals that he possesses another weapon: the restored Dragon Slayer Sword.
• The sword’s appearance releases an overwhelming, terrifying aura and manifests a phantom of a green-robed Dragon Slayer standing over a wounded True Dragon.
• The restored sword is vastly more powerful than before, having regained much of its former divine might after Wang Wu’er repaired it. However, it is only twenty percent restored and consumes enormous amounts of Source Energy.
• Shi Cai recognizes the weapon as the legendary Dragon Slayer Sword, once wielded by Ye Zhanlong to massacre the True Dragon Race. Because Shi Cai possesses Black Dragon Blood and relies on dragon-related cultivation, the sword is a natural counter to him.
• Xiao Chen launches a devastating sword strike at Shi Cai, eager to test the Dragon Slayer Sword’s power. Shi Cai is forced to decide whether to retreat from the battlefield or risk facing the sword’s overwhelming killing intent.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates extraordinary combat ability, successfully fighting above his cultivation level. He remains calm and practical after his first sword breaks, preserving it for repair rather than discarding it. His confidence rises when he unveils the Dragon Slayer Sword, and he becomes eager to test its restored power.
• Shi Cai: Initially arrogant and dismissive of Xiao Chen because of his origins in Great Xia, Shi Cai’s confidence is shaken after being seriously wounded and discovering Xiao Chen’s hidden divine weapon. His fear and uncertainty grow as he realizes the Dragon Slayer Sword directly counters his dragon-based abilities.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and underestimated origins: Xiao Chen’s background in the supposedly insignificant Great Xia causes Shi Cai to underestimate him, but Xiao Chen proves that talent and power are not limited by one’s birthplace.
• The importance of weapons and artifacts: The battle highlights the enormous influence of powerful weapons. Shi Cai relies on his superior weapon to survive, while the Dragon Slayer Sword dramatically shifts the balance of power.
• Legacy and legend: The Dragon Slayer Sword carries the history of Ye Zhanlong and the ancient Dragon Slayers, connecting Xiao Chen’s present battle to a legendary conflict against the True Dragon Race.
• Power with limitations: Although the sword is extraordinarily powerful, it is only partially restored and requires more Source Energy than Xiao Chen can easily provide, foreshadowing limits to his ability to wield it.
• Pride and fear: Shi Cai’s arrogance collapses into hesitation once he encounters a weapon capable of threatening both his life and his dragon bloodline.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Shi Cai exchange hostile remarks throughout the confrontation. Shi Cai repeatedly insults Xiao Chen as a “rural youth,” while Xiao Chen responds with quiet confidence and irritation.
• Shi Cai boasts that Xiao Chen has lost his only weapon, but Xiao Chen immediately disproves him by summoning the Dragon Slayer Sword.
• The revelation completely reverses their psychological positions: Shi Cai, previously confident and aggressive, becomes shocked and hesitant, while Xiao Chen takes control and attacks with the legendary weapon.

Summary: “Slaying Shi Cai”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shi Cai, known as Lei Xing, Black Dragon Spear, decides to fight Xiao Chen despite recognizing the danger posed by Xiao Chen’s Dragon Slayer Sword. Retreating would damage the Dao Heart he had built through years of cultivation.
• Shi Cai unleashes his powerful Black Dragon Thunder God Spear, summoning overwhelming lightning, dragon energy, and a colossal black dragon phantom. The spectacle shocks millions of beings near Lijia Village.
• Observers mistakenly assume Shi Cai is fighting a terrifying mutated demon beast rather than Xiao Chen, a young cultivator from the supposedly weakest Great Xia Dynasty.
• Shi Cai and Xiao Chen clash directly. Although Shi Cai’s ancient black spear is immensely powerful and Shi Cai is covered in blood, Xiao Chen remains calm and completely uninjured. The Dragon Slayer Sword’s innate sword light successfully withstands the spear.
• Xiao Chen tests the repaired Dragon Slayer Sword and, satisfied with its strength, finally releases its full killing power.
• With a single slash, the sword’s manifestation decapitates the enormous black dragon phantom and knocks away Shi Cai’s spear. At the same time, Xiao Chen cuts Shi Cai’s neck.
• Shi Cai admits that he could not withstand even one sword strike. He accepts defeat without regret, proud that he died fighting someone of his own generation rather than fleeing.
• Shi Cai dies, and his body and spear disappear in black motes. Xiao Chen realizes that an old expert had placed a protective restriction on Shi Cai, intended to teleport him away when his life was in danger. However, Xiao Chen’s sword strike was so fast that the restriction failed to activate in time.
• Xiao Chen reflects that the God-Demon Battlefield’s supposedly fair competition is actually biased against factions such as Great Xia, whose foundations and protective resources are weaker than those of older and more powerful forces.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates overwhelming combat power, composure, and confidence. He carefully tests the repaired Dragon Slayer Sword before using its decisive attack, confirming that the weapon can resist powerful artifacts even without Source Energy.
• Shi Cai: Reveals both immense strength and deep pride. Although he recognizes that Xiao Chen may be stronger, he refuses to retreat because doing so would shatter his Dao Heart. His final acceptance of defeat shows dignity and the warrior’s commitment to fighting to the death.
• The Dragon Slayer Sword: Proves itself as a terrifying divine weapon with its own spiritual power. Its innate sword light blocks Shi Cai’s ancient spear, while its manifested Dragon Slayer effortlessly destroys the black dragon projection.
• The black dragon manifestation: Despite its enormous destructive power, it instinctively fears the Dragon Slayer, highlighting the sword’s superior authority and menace.

Significant Themes

• Pride versus survival: Shi Cai chooses death rather than retreat because preserving his Dao Heart and warrior’s pride matters more to him than physical survival.
• Overwhelming strength and hidden potential: Xiao Chen’s victory shocks observers because he comes from the weak Great Xia Dynasty yet defeats a renowned Heavenly Prodigy Rank expert.
• The unfairness of supposedly equal competition: Xiao Chen recognizes that powerful factions can protect their prodigies with secret restrictions and ancient resources, giving them advantages unavailable to weaker dynasties.
• The supremacy of true power: Reputation, rank, and powerful techniques cannot protect Shi Cai against Xiao Chen’s superior swordsmanship and weapon.
• Dignity in defeat: Shi Cai dies without resentment or regret, acknowledging Xiao Chen’s ability and maintaining his dignity as a cultivator.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Shi Cai: Their encounter begins as an unequal confrontation after Shi Cai’s attempted ambush, but becomes a direct battle between two proud prodigies. Xiao Chen remains detached and controlled, while Shi Cai fights desperately to preserve his honor.
• Xiao Chen and the Dragon Slayer Sword: Xiao Chen treats the battle partly as a test of the sword’s restored power, carefully observing whether it can withstand Shi Cai’s spear before unleashing its final strike.
• Shi Cai and his protective backers: Though absent from the battle, the old expert who placed the teleportation restriction demonstrates the hidden support powerful factions provide to their chosen geniuses.
• The observing Star Realm prodigies and the battle: Their reactions emphasize the fight’s shocking scale. They initially misunderstand the situation, unable to imagine that someone from Great Xia could force Shi Cai into such a desperate struggle.

Chapter Summary: “Alias! King of Misfortune!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen reflects on the unfairness of Shi Cai’s implanted restriction, but quickly dismisses his complaint after remembering that the previous Martial God Soul had saved his life. He recognizes that he, too, possesses extraordinary advantages.
• After killing Shi Cai, Xiao Chen uses the Dragon Slaying Fortune Seizing Sutra to absorb the fortune scattered by Shi Cai’s disappearance.
• He successfully obtains only about forty percent of Shi Cai’s fortune, forming a powerful blue Spirit Soul. The rest vanishes with Shi Cai’s corpse, and Xiao Chen regrets losing Shi Cai’s black ancient spear.
• Despite his disappointment, Xiao Chen remains composed and acknowledges that his gains are still substantial: he acquires an Aura Spirit Soul and ten God-Battle Points, raising his total from nineteen to twenty-nine.
• Xiao Chen becomes anxious when he realizes the Azure Dragon Domain Spirit is preparing to publicly announce his victory, as happened after he killed Gou Yanglong. He fears that Shi Cai’s allies will seek revenge if they learn his true identity.
• At the crucial moment, the Domain Spirit informs him that cultivators can use aliases during battle-result announcements. Xiao Chen chooses the alias “King of Misfortune.”
• The Domain Spirit announces that King of Misfortune has slain Shi Cai and gained ten God-Battle Points.
• Cultivators within a hundred-mile radius are stunned. They know Shi Cai—also called Lei Xing, the Black Dragon Spear—as a renowned Peak Star Realm expert from the Feathered Kingdom. They speculate that King of Misfortune must be an elite from one of the Azure Spirit Domain’s most powerful kingdoms.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen demonstrates emotional maturity. Although he is frustrated by losing most of Shi Cai’s fortune and weapon, he quickly regains his composure and focuses on his overall gains.
• He also shows strategic awareness and caution. Rather than seeking fame, he understands that revealing his identity would make him a target for Shi Cai’s powerful companions.
• Xiao Chen’s accidental activation of the Alias Law reveals his inexperience with the God-Demon Battlefield’s rules. Great Xia’s previous weakness meant he had never learned many of the battlefield’s finer details.
• By choosing “King of Misfortune,” Xiao Chen begins creating a mysterious public identity separate from his real name, allowing him to build influence while protecting himself.

Significant Themes

• Power and unfair advantage: Xiao Chen recognizes that both he and Shi Cai rely on unusual advantages, preventing him from judging Shi Cai hypocritically.
• Survival over glory: The chapter emphasizes that fame can be dangerous. Xiao Chen values concealment and continued growth more than public recognition.
• Resource accumulation: Fortune, Spirit Souls, and God-Battle Points are essential forms of power and survival on the God-Demon Battlefield.
• Misunderstood strength: The surrounding cultivators cannot imagine that an unknown figure could defeat Shi Cai, leading them to assume Xiao Chen must belong to an extraordinarily powerful kingdom.
• Inexperience and hidden rules: Xiao Chen’s ignorance of the alias system highlights Great Xia’s lack of knowledge and preparation compared with stronger kingdoms.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and the Azure Dragon Domain Spirit: Though the Domain Spirit initially appears ready to expose Xiao Chen’s true identity, it instead informs him of the option to use an alias. Their interaction reflects Xiao Chen’s limited control within the battlefield and the Domain Spirit’s absolute authority.
• Xiao Chen and Shi Cai: Their direct battle has already ended with Shi Cai’s death, but Shi Cai’s influence continues through his reputation, allies, and the public shock surrounding his defeat.
• Xiao Chen and the surrounding cultivators: The cultivators do not meet Xiao Chen directly, but they react strongly to his announced victory. Their speculation greatly exaggerates his identity, believing “King of Misfortune” to be a peerless prodigy from one of the strongest kingdoms.

Chapter Summary: “Feathered Fury”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Domain Spirit announces that the King of Misfortune has killed Shi Cai outright, rather than merely defeating him. This shocks the cultivators of the Ten Thousand Dynasties, since Shi Cai was powerful enough that even defeating him in the outer region would have been remarkable.
• The mysterious golden words announcing major events appear across the Azure Dragon Domain. Most ordinary villagers do not understand their meaning and remain more concerned with survival and farming than with the God-Demon Battlefield.
• Xiao Chen decides to travel to Orange Fire Mountain to investigate the Demon Hound Grotto. He hopes to kill the immensely powerful Demon Hound General and obtain Gods-and-Devils Demon Cores and possibly the rare Gods-and-Devils Demon Balm.
• These resources could give Xiao Chen a chance to break through from the King Realm First Layer to the Second Layer, a difficult advancement because of his exceptionally powerful Martial God Physique and massive cultivation foundation.
• Xiao Chen enters the fire-affected Orangefire Forest, where wood energy and the Spiritual Fire of Orange Fire Mountain have combined to create a strange, glowing environment.
• News of Shi Cai’s death reaches the Feathered Kingdom. The Feathered Lord becomes enraged and vows to uncover the King of Misfortune’s identity and destroy him, even if he must mobilize the entire kingdom.
• The Feathered Kingdom’s leaders discuss how Shi Cai’s protective restriction failed to save him. Half-Emperor Zhang Shimo suggests that the King of Misfortune may be an extremely unusual figure, perhaps someone connected to one of the Ten Great Dynasties.
• The chapter ends with Zhang Shimo directing attention to the thin, precise wound across Shi Cai’s neck, implying that the nature of the killing may reveal important information about the King of Misfortune.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen remains focused and strategic after killing Shi Cai. Rather than dwelling on the battle, he immediately pursues the next opportunity for advancement at Orange Fire Mountain.
• His cultivation challenge is emphasized: despite possessing the Martial God Physique and a strong foundation, every advancement in the King Realm will be extremely difficult due to the enormous resources required.
• The Feathered Lord is revealed to be fiercely protective of Shi Cai and deeply invested in the young prodigy’s future. Shi Cai’s death transforms his concern for the Myriad Dynasty War into personal fury and a desire for revenge.
• Zhang Shimo, master of the Dragon Demon Hall and a powerful Half-Emperor, emerges as a cautious and analytical figure. Unlike the enraged Feathered Lord, he focuses on examining the evidence and assessing the King of Misfortune’s true strength and identity.
• Shi Cai is further established as the Feathered Kingdom’s greatest young talent, a Peerless Divine Seed whose death represents a major blow to the dynasty’s hopes.

Significant Themes

• The shocking rise of an unknown powerhouse: The King of Misfortune’s ability to kill Shi Cai instantly establishes him as an unpredictable and terrifying figure.
• Revenge versus rational judgment: The Feathered Lord reacts emotionally, demanding retaliation, while Zhang Shimo urges caution and investigation.
• Cultivation difficulty and resource dependence: Xiao Chen’s planned breakthrough shows that progress at higher realms requires rare treasures and powerful opportunities, not merely talent or effort.
• Decline and suffering: The Azure Dragon Domain’s destruction after the ancient Spirit Realm war has left ordinary inhabitants impoverished and largely unaware of the conflicts involving powerful cultivators.
• Hidden identities and political danger: Xiao Chen’s alias protects Great Xia for now, but the Feathered Kingdom’s investigation could eventually expose him and provoke retaliation against his dynasty.

Character Interactions

• The Domain Spirit’s announcement affects cultivators throughout the Ten Thousand Dynasties and sparks widespread speculation.
• The Feathered Lord and Zhang Shimo clash indirectly over how to respond to Shi Cai’s death. The Feathered Lord wants immediate vengeance, while Zhang Shimo questions whether the King of Misfortune is an ordinary opponent.
• Other Feathered Kingdom officials exchange uneasy looks, recognizing that Zhang Shimo’s interpretation may challenge the Feathered Lord’s assumptions.
• Zhang Shimo’s examination of Shi Cai’s neck wound shifts the discussion from emotional outrage toward forensic analysis, suggesting that the killing method may be a key clue.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Shi Cai’s death, the Feathered Kingdom’s leaders examine his body. Although he has many severe sword wounds, Zhang Shimo identifies a tiny cut on his neck as the true fatal injury.
• Zhang Shimo reveals that the Great Emperor restriction implanted in Shi Cai had not failed. Instead, it was triggered too late: Xiao Chen, using the alias “King of Misfortune,” killed Shi Cai with a single sword strike before the restriction could activate.
• The Azure Dragon Domain’s laws had suppressed the restriction because it restrains outsiders, helping explain how Xiao Chen achieved the impossible kill. Nevertheless, the leaders recognize that his speed and swordsmanship remain extraordinary.
• Zhang Shimo subtly warns the Feathered Lord not to investigate or seek revenge against the King of Misfortune, implying that Xiao Chen may possess a powerful background. The Feathered Lord ultimately postpones retaliation.
• At the Great Xia Divine Palace, the Xia Emperor becomes alarmed when Xiao Chen’s image disappears from the Image Transmission Stone, while the other nine Great Xia Divine Seeds remain visible.
• The remaining nine Divine Seeds are suffering badly: they live in beast pens, share scarce food, struggle to defeat weak demons, and lack Spiritual Herbs for healing. Great Xia’s hopes therefore rest almost entirely on Xiao Chen.
• Wang Fusheng reassures the Xia Emperor that Xiao Chen’s disappearance likely means he has adopted an alias, which is often done by prodigies whose achievements have become too impressive and could attract assassination attempts.
• They investigate recent anonymous battle announcements near Lijia Village and discover that the King of Misfortune killed Lei Xing, Black Dragon Spear and earned ten God-Battle Points. The Xia Emperor is shocked to learn that the famous Star Realm cultivator is dead.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen / King of Misfortune: His identity remains concealed, but his reputation grows dramatically. His ability to kill Shi Cai before a Great Emperor restriction activates establishes him as an exceptionally fast and dangerous sword cultivator.
• Zhang Shimo: Demonstrates his expertise in restrictions and his political intelligence. He recognizes Xiao Chen’s potential and carefully steers the Feathered Kingdom away from provoking him.
• Feathered Lord: Initially dismissive and unwilling to acknowledge Xiao Chen’s superiority, he is forced to reconsider revenge after hearing Zhang Shimo’s explanation.
• Xia Emperor: His anxiety reflects the immense pressure placed on Xiao Chen. He initially fears that Xiao Chen may be in danger, but becomes hopeful when he learns that the disappearance may indicate hidden achievements.
• Wang Fusheng: Acts as a knowledgeable adviser, interpreting the rules of the Myriad Dynasty War and helping identify Xiao Chen’s alias.

Significant Themes

• Concealed identity and strategic anonymity: Powerful participants hide their names to avoid becoming targets once their achievements draw attention.
• Talent versus circumstance: Although the Azure Dragon Domain weakened the Great Emperor restriction, Xiao Chen’s speed and swordsmanship were still extraordinary.
• Political pride and denial: The Feathered Lord’s reluctance to admit Xiao Chen’s brilliance reveals the influence of status and pride on judgment.
• Hope amid desperation: Great Xia’s nine Divine Seeds are close to collapse, making Xiao Chen’s accomplishments a vital source of hope.
• Reputation and deterrence: Xiao Chen’s single victory over a renowned Star Realm cultivator causes even powerful enemies to reconsider confronting him.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Shimo explains Shi Cai’s death to the Feathered Lord and the other officials, indirectly defending Xiao Chen’s strength while warning them against revenge.
• The Feathered officials interpret Zhang Shimo’s caution and collectively advise the Feathered Lord to abandon immediate retaliation.
• At Great Xia Divine Palace, the Xia Emperor voices his fears to Wang Fusheng, who reassures him and provides a more optimistic interpretation of Xiao Chen’s missing image.
• Wang Fusheng operates the Image Transmission Stone and discovers the anonymous announcement confirming Xiao Chen’s killing of Shi Cai, leaving the Xia Emperor stunned.

Chapter Summary: Entering the Demon Hound Grotto

Key Plot Points and Events

• Before the Myriad Dynasty War, the Xia Emperor and Wang Fusheng recall a list of powerful young talents expected to enter the God-Demon Battlefield.
• They discuss Lei Xing, Black Dragon Spear, whose true name is Shi Cai. A Divine Seed of the Feathered Kingdom and a Star Realm expert, he obtained a drop of spiritually aware True Dragon Blood as a six-year-old. The blood chose him as its master and granted him Dragon Force.
• Shi Cai later mastered the Thunder Secret Art and became an exceptional spear cultivator, earning the title “Black Dragon Spear.” Despite his immense reputation, he was killed in the outer region of the battlefield almost immediately after arriving.
• His death shocks the Xia Emperor and Wang Fusheng, who wonder about the identity of the terrifying figure known as the King of Misfortune.
• The Xia Emperor asks whether Xiao Chen might secretly be one of two prominent aliases: Tiansheng Jierzhuang or Dream of the Ten-Billion Goddess. Both men believe the flashy names do not fit Xiao Chen’s restrained personality. Wang Fusheng ultimately chooses the latter, overlooking the possibility that Xiao Chen is actually the King of Misfortune.
• Meanwhile, Xiao Chen secretly infiltrates Orange Fire Mountain to investigate the Demon Hound Grotto.
• The grotto is guarded by two King Realm Dog Demons. Using the Wind Concealment Art, Xiao Chen slips past them and enters the enormous, palace-like manor.
• Inside, he discovers dozens of enslaved human men and women forced to serve the Dog Demons as cooks, cleaners, servants, and entertainers. Xiao Chen intends to free them.
• After surveying the entire grotto, Xiao Chen checks the Demon Codex and realizes that the Demon Hound General is absent, raising questions about his whereabouts.

Character Developments

• Shi Cai/Lei Xing: His history establishes him as a prodigious and fortunate cultivator whose early bond with True Dragon Blood shaped his extraordinary career. His sudden death emphasizes the deadly nature of the God-Demon Battlefield.
• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates caution, stealth, and strong investigative ability. He infiltrates a heavily guarded demon stronghold without being detected and reacts with anger and sympathy toward the enslaved humans.
• The Xia Emperor and Wang Fusheng: Their uncertainty about Xiao Chen’s identity shows how difficult it is to track his activities and how greatly his hidden strength concerns them.
• Dog Demons: The two guards display powerful cultivation but limited awareness, allowing Xiao Chen to pass unnoticed. The Demon Hound clan is portrayed as cruel and exploitative.

Significant Themes

• Brutality and unpredictability: Even a renowned Star Realm prodigy like Lei Xing can die without a chance to escape, showing that reputation offers little protection in the battlefield.
• Fortune and destiny: Shi Cai’s rise began with True Dragon Blood choosing him, while Xiao Chen’s possible identity as the “King of Misfortune” connects his fate to both calamity and power.
• Hidden identities: The discussion of competing aliases highlights the uncertainty surrounding Xiao Chen and his ability to operate behind false identities.
• Oppression and moral contrast: The Dog Demons’ enslavement and abuse of human captives contrast with Xiao Chen’s intention to intervene, reinforcing his opposition to demonic cruelty.
• The consequences of the ancient war: The destruction of human civilization and the nourishment of demons by divine corpses explain the imbalance of power between the races.

Character Interactions

• The Xia Emperor and Wang Fusheng jointly analyze Shi Cai’s death and debate which alias might belong to Xiao Chen.
• The two Dog Demon guards briefly argue over the strange wind outside the grotto; one senses danger, while the other dismisses the concern.
• Xiao Chen has no direct interaction with the enslaved humans yet, but his discovery of their suffering suggests an imminent rescue or confrontation.
• The chapter ends with Xiao Chen alone inside the grotto, puzzled by the Demon Hound General’s absence.

Chapter Summary: “Guessing His Identity”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen enters the Demon Hound Grotto to investigate the Demon Hound General and determine whether it possesses the valuable Spirit Balm. He does not find the Demon Hound General and decides not to attack recklessly before understanding the situation.
• In a side hall, the Demon King Gou Nenggan abuses a human village girl he kidnapped, attempting to force her into serving him. When she resists, he prepares to kill her.
• Xiao Chen intervenes by using Wind Power to blast Gou Nenggan away and prevent him from harming the girl.
• Xiao Chen reveals himself as a young human cultivator. His overwhelming attack shocks Gou Nenggan, who realizes that although they are in the same realm, Xiao Chen’s combat strength is vastly superior.
• Gou Nenggan assumes Xiao Chen may be a rare genius from a powerful ancient city—possibly an “Aberrant Star”—and immediately adopts a submissive, pleading attitude.
• Xiao Chen reassures the rescued girl that she is safe. She is deeply impressed by his appearance and grateful for his intervention.
• The girl is astonished that the normally brutal Dog Demon does not retaliate against the human intruder, highlighting Xiao Chen’s intimidating presence.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates compassion, courage, and decisive strength by protecting a helpless human despite his larger mission being investigation rather than combat. His mastery of Wind Power and extraordinary battle ability are emphasized.
• Gou Nenggan: Revealed as cruel, lustful, arrogant, and accustomed to treating humans as objects or food. However, his confidence collapses when confronted by Xiao Chen, and he becomes fearful and ingratiating after overestimating Xiao Chen’s background and potential.
• The kidnapped girl: Initially terrified and resigned to death, she regains hope after Xiao Chen’s intervention. Her admiration for Xiao Chen begins almost immediately, influenced by both his kindness and striking appearance.

Significant Themes

• Strength and intimidation: Xiao Chen’s power is so far beyond Gou Nenggan’s expectations that his identity is judged by his combat ability rather than his actual cultivation level.
• The abuse of power: Gou Nenggan embodies the cruelty of demons who exploit weaker humans, while Xiao Chen represents the use of power to defend the vulnerable.
• Appearance versus reality: Gou Nenggan assumes Xiao Chen must be an elite genius from a powerful background because of his strength and demeanor, though this is only speculation.
• Investigation and restraint: Xiao Chen initially avoids a direct confrontation with the Demon Hound General, showing that he values preparation and understanding the enemy before acting.
• Hope amid oppression: The girl’s rescue marks a shift from helplessness and despair to safety and gratitude.

Character Interactions

• Gou Nenggan threatens and intimidates the girl, attempting to force her obedience.
• Xiao Chen interrupts the confrontation, defeats and restrains Gou Nenggan through Wind Power, and closes the hall doors to contain the situation.
• Xiao Chen speaks calmly to the girl, assuring her that she will not be harmed.
• Gou Nenggan, initially arrogant, begs Xiao Chen for mercy after realizing the enormous gap between their actual combat abilities.
• The girl marvels at Xiao Chen’s appearance and power, while also being shocked that Gou Nenggan treats him with fear and respect rather than hostility.

Chapter Summary: “Do You Think I’m a Bad Person?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen confronts Gou Nenggan, a powerful-looking but extremely submissive Dog Demon. Gou Nenggan assumes Xiao Chen comes from an influential lineage, possibly the Star Realm or Worry-Free City, and fears offending him.
• Xiao Chen demands to know the whereabouts of the Demon Hound General. Gou Nenggan mistakenly believes Xiao Chen intends to report him and begs for mercy.
• Under threat from Xiao Chen’s Wind Dao and Sword Dao, Gou Nenggan reveals that Gou Yanglong’s soul stone has shattered, indicating his death near Lijia Village. The Demon Hound General has personally gone to investigate.
• Alarmed that the villagers may be in danger, Xiao Chen kills Gou Nenggan before leaving, despite the demon’s plea for survival.
• Xiao Chen gains eleven God-Battle Points from Gou Nenggan, realizing that stronger demons yield greater rewards. His total rises to forty points.
• The rescued girl discovers that Xiao Chen is a participant in the Ten Thousand Dynasties War. Before they can leave, more Dog Demons arrive and challenge the intruder.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen demonstrates overwhelming strength, combining profound Wind Dao and Sword Dao abilities. He is decisive and ruthless toward demons, but his concern for Lijia Village suggests that his motivations are not purely self-serving.
• Gou Nenggan is revealed to be cowardly and deeply fearful of the Demon Hound General. Its final moments are filled with disbelief at Xiao Chen’s extraordinary abilities.
• The suffering girl shifts from seeing Xiao Chen as a mysterious savior to fearing him after learning he is a Myriad Dynasty Prodigy. Her fear reflects the notorious reputation of previous participants in the war.
• The Demon Hound General does not appear directly, but its brutality, authority, and willingness to sacrifice subordinates establish it as the chapter’s major looming threat.

Significant Themes

• Appearance versus reality: Gou Nenggan appears terrifying but is cowardly, while Xiao Chen’s youthful appearance conceals immense power.
• Reputation and prejudice: The girl immediately associates the Ten Thousand Dynasties Prodigies with cruelty because of their historical crimes, even though Xiao Chen has just rescued her.
• Power and fear: Both demons and humans respond to perceived status and strength. Gou Nenggan fears Xiao Chen because of his suspected background, while the girl fears him because of his identity.
• Moral ambiguity: Xiao Chen asks whether she thinks he is a bad person, highlighting the tension between his demon-slaying actions and the violent reputation of his group.
• Political restraint and oppression: The agreement between humans and demons prevents powerful human figures from directly eliminating the demon threat, allowing demons near Worry-Free City to continue their attacks.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen interrogates and intimidates Gou Nenggan, exposing the demon’s cowardice and forcing it to reveal the Demon Hound General’s movements.
• The girl witnesses Xiao Chen’s dominance over Gou Nenggan and begins viewing him almost as a divine figure, but her admiration turns into apprehension after learning his true identity.
• Xiao Chen attempts to understand the girl’s fear, asking directly whether she considers him evil.
• The chapter ends with Xiao Chen and the girl facing a new group of Dog Demons defending the Demon Hound Grotto.

Chapter Summary: “Clear as Fire?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen deliberately releases his aura after previously using Wind Power to conceal his presence inside the Demon Hound Grotto.
• Eleven wolf-like dog demons arrive and discover Gou Nenggan’s corpse. They are shocked and enraged that a Demon King has been killed inside the grotto.
• Gou Niu, the Demon Hound General’s younger brother and the highest-status demon present, blames the entrance guards, Gou Qing and Gou Si, for failing to detect Xiao Chen’s infiltration.
• The guards claim that Xiao Chen must have entered by transforming into wind, but Gou Niu dismisses this as impossible.
• Gou Niu assumes Xiao Chen and the human maid beside him secretly drugged and ambushed Gou Nenggan. The other demons accept this explanation and lower their guard.
• Xiao Chen calmly counts the demons to confirm that all eleven have arrived.
• Without warning, his Dragon Slayer Sword flies from its sheath and beheads Gou Renliu in a single strike.
• The demons are stunned and terrified. Gou Renliu was a powerful Demon King, and Xiao Chen’s effortless killing proves that his strength is far beyond what they expected.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates extreme composure, confidence, and strategic thinking. He intentionally gathers all the remaining demons before attacking, ensuring none escape or are overlooked. His one-strike kills reveal overwhelming swordsmanship despite his apparent First Level King Realm cultivation.
• Gou Niu: Appears arrogant and self-assured, quickly inventing an explanation that preserves his assumptions about Xiao Chen’s weakness. His confidence is shattered when Xiao Chen kills Gou Renliu effortlessly.
• Gou Qing and Gou Si: Become frightened and defensive after being blamed for the breach. Their low status leaves them vulnerable to punishment from Gou Niu and the Demon Hound General.
• The suffering human girl: Initially trembles when surrounded by the demons but instinctively moves closer to Xiao Chen, recognizing him as safer and more trustworthy than the dog demons.
• The dog demons: Shift from anger and caution to contempt after accepting Gou Niu’s “sneak attack” theory, then immediately fall into fear when Xiao Chen displays his true power.

Significant Themes

• Arrogance and misjudgment: The demons underestimate Xiao Chen because of his age and cultivation level, allowing their assumptions to blind them to the evidence before them.
• Hidden strength: Xiao Chen’s calm appearance conceals deadly power, emphasizing the danger of judging someone solely by their apparent realm.
• Fear and hierarchy: The demons’ behavior reflects their brutal internal hierarchy. Lower-ranking guards fear punishment, while Gou Niu relies on his relationship with the Demon Hound General to assert authority.
• Composure versus panic: Xiao Chen remains rational and methodical while the demons react emotionally, highlighting the contrast between his control and their growing terror.
• Predatory justice and survival: The demons’ willingness to skin or kill their own subordinates shows the cruelty of their society, while Xiao Chen turns that same atmosphere of violence against them.

Character Interactions

• Gou Niu aggressively interrogates and threatens Gou Qing and Gou Si, accusing them of negligence and dishonesty.
• Gou Qing and Gou Si desperately defend themselves, insisting that they did not see Xiao Chen enter.
• Gou Niu accuses Xiao Chen and the human maid of conspiring to drug and ambush Gou Nenggan, persuading the other demons to dismiss Xiao Chen as weak.
• The girl silently seeks protection by moving closer to Xiao Chen.
• Xiao Chen refuses to argue with the demons or correct their misunderstanding. Instead, he answers their arrogance with action, killing Gou Renliu in one decisive sword strike and leaving the remaining demons horrified.

Chapter Summary: “One Sword Slays Nine Kings!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen confronts Gou Niu in the Demon Hound Grotto after killing Gou Nenggan and demands to know whether all the demons are present.
• Believing Xiao Chen’s power must come from a powerful background, Gou Niu immediately adopts a submissive attitude and offers compensation.
• Gou Niu mistakenly assumes Xiao Chen has come to rescue a beautiful female slave, interpreting the situation as a “hero saving a beauty” scenario.
• The female captive, later identified as Li Xiaohua, becomes embarrassed when Gou Niu calls her Xiao Chen’s woman. The demons offer to give Xiao Chen several female slaves in an attempt to placate him.
• Offended by their stupidity and lewd assumptions, Xiao Chen kills another Dog Demon with a single sword strike.
• Gou Niu abandons negotiation and orders the remaining nine demon kings to attack Xiao Chen.
• The nine Dog Demons charge together, but Xiao Chen draws his sword and kills all nine almost instantly with a series of blindingly fast strikes.
• Gou Niu and another powerful demon realize that Xiao Chen is a Star Realm expert, specifically a rare and exceptionally talented Aberrant Star.
• Even while dying, Gou Niu remains confident that the Demon Hound General—who is nearing the Divine Demon level—can eventually kill Xiao Chen if Xiao Chen’s protector is absent.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen displays overwhelming swordsmanship, decisiveness, and contempt for the demons’ corrupt assumptions. His strength is revealed to be far beyond what the demons initially expected.
• Gou Niu shifts rapidly from arrogance to fear and attempted appeasement, then returns to hostility when Xiao Chen rejects its offers. Even in death, it clings to the belief that the Demon Hound General will avenge them.
• Li Xiaohua is introduced as a frightened captive from Lijia Village. She becomes confused and shy when the demons imply she is Xiao Chen’s woman, then develops admiration and concern after witnessing his incredible battle.
• The Dog Demons are shown to be greedy, crude, and opportunistic. They are willing to sacrifice their female slaves to win Xiao Chen’s favor, but their confidence collapses when confronted with his true power.

Significant Themes

• Misjudgment and hidden strength: The demons assume Xiao Chen succeeded through trickery, only to discover that his actual strength is vastly greater than expected.
• The overwhelming power of swordsmanship: Xiao Chen’s Sword Dao is portrayed as fast, precise, and devastating enough to kill nine demon kings in a single attack.
• Corruption and moral blindness: The demons reduce human captives to commodities and completely misunderstand Xiao Chen’s motives because of their own lust and depravity.
• Fear and power politics: Gou Niu’s sudden submission shows how strength and perceived background determine respect among the demons.
• Heroism and rescue: Although Xiao Chen rejects the idea that he came specifically for Li Xiaohua, his slaughter of the demons effectively frees her from their oppression.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen interrogates Gou Niu, who tries to flatter him and offer compensation.
• Gou Niu and the other demons embarrass Li Xiaohua by claiming she is Xiao Chen’s woman and offering him more female slaves.
• Xiao Chen responds to their crude misunderstanding by killing one of the demons, making clear that negotiation has failed.
• Gou Niu commands nine demon kings to attack, but Xiao Chen defeats them all in moments.
• The dying Gou Niu identifies Xiao Chen as an Aberrant Star but threatens him indirectly through the more powerful Demon Hound General.

Chapter Summary: “Gou Qingyi!”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen effortlessly slaughters the nine Demon Kings of the Demon Hound Grotto with a single sword strike, leaving Li Xiaohua and the surviving villagers stunned.
• After confirming that no other demons remain in the grotto besides the Demon Hound General, Xiao Chen orders Li Xiaohua to evacuate the captured villagers and hide in the mountains until he deals with the remaining threat.
• Xiao Chen gains substantial rewards from the battle, including more than a dozen Fortune Essences and enough God-Battle Points to raise his total to 164.
• Despite his overwhelming strength, Xiao Chen recognizes that the Demon Hound General, Gou Qingyi, is far more powerful. As an ancient demon close to becoming a sacred demon, Gou Qingyi may be difficult to defeat because Xiao Chen is three minor realms below it.
• Li Xiaohua rescues the villagers imprisoned in the grotto. Having endured slavery and abuse, many appear emotionally broken, but they are overjoyed to learn that the Demon Kings have been exterminated by a young cultivator from the Myriad Dynasties.
• As Xiao Chen leaves the mountain, Gou Qingyi arrives in Lijia Village disguised as a refined, friendly youth affiliated with Worry-Free City’s City Lord’s Manor.
• Gou Qingyi questions a farmer about the recent battle and learns that a young swordsman killed Gou Yanglong—the demon it appears to have regarded as a significant subordinate—with a single casual strike.
• Realizing that the killer is an unusually powerful young sword cultivator, Gou Qingyi becomes suspicious and enraged. However, it conceals its true identity and continues gathering information before deciding whether to retaliate.

2. Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: Demonstrates overwhelming combat power and ruthless efficiency against the Demon Kings. At the same time, he shows caution and strategic awareness by acknowledging the danger posed by Gou Qingyi rather than underestimating it. His concern for the villagers also reveals a protective and responsible side.
• Li Xiaohua: Grows from a terrified captive into an active rescuer and organizer. Trusting Xiao Chen’s instructions, she helps free the other prisoners and leads them toward safety.
• The villagers: Initially traumatized and nearly devoid of hope, they regain their spirits after learning that their demon captors have been defeated. Their view of cultivators from the Myriad Dynasties also begins to change.
• Gou Qingyi: Is introduced as a powerful, calculating demon rather than a merely impulsive monster. Though cruel and tyrannical, it is cautious, politically aware, and capable of disguising its hostility. It prepares both a retreat plan and a revenge plan depending on Xiao Chen’s background.

3. Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength versus hidden danger: Xiao Chen dominates the Demon Kings, yet the chapter emphasizes that greater threats remain and that even he cannot be certain of victory against Gou Qingyi.
• Hope after oppression: The villagers’ liberation marks a sharp contrast between their previous degradation and their renewed hope.
• Appearances and deception: Gou Qingyi’s gentle appearance and association with Worry-Free City conceal its true demonic identity and murderous intentions.
• Prejudice and moral complexity: The villagers have been taught that cultivators from the Myriad Dynasties are villains, but Xiao Chen’s actions challenge that belief.
• Caution and intelligence: Both Xiao Chen and Gou Qingyi recognize the importance of gathering information before confronting a potentially stronger opponent.

4. Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen questions Li Xiaohua about the remaining demons and entrusts her with evacuating the villagers.
• Li Xiaohua spreads the news of the Demon Kings’ deaths and helps the prisoners escape.
• The villagers react with awe and disbelief upon hearing of Xiao Chen’s strength and origins.
• Gou Qingyi adopts a friendly manner while questioning a farmer, using its apparent status and charm to gain information.
• When its demon aura briefly terrifies the farmer, Gou Qingyi immediately suppresses it and offers a false explanation, preserving its disguise while continuing to assess the situation.

Chapter Summary: The Annihilation of Lijia Village

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gou Qingyi questions a farmer about the young sword cultivator who killed the demons of Demon Hound Grotto. He initially suspects the youth belongs to one of Worry-Free City’s powerful Ancient Clans.
• The farmer reveals that the swordsman is actually a Myriad Dynasty Prodigy, newly arrived in the Azure Dragon Domain.
• Realizing that Xiao Chen has no powerful clan backing him, Gou Qingyi’s hostility emerges. He reveals his true identity as a demon—the Demon Hound General, master of Orange Fire Mountain.
• Gou Qingyi kills the farmer and announces that he has come specifically because of Xiao Chen.
• He unleashes terrifying Spiritual Fire upon Lijia Village, slaughtering the entire population and burning the village to the ground. He admits that the villagers were innocent but destroys them anyway as revenge for Gou Yanglong’s death and to intimidate the surrounding demons and humans.
• Neighboring villagers see the flames and initially attempt to help, but elders stop them after recognizing the overwhelming demonic aura. They realize that confronting the Demon Hound General would only result in more deaths.
• Xiao Chen returns at full speed, but arrives moments too late. He finds Lijia Village reduced to a smoking wasteland and is consumed by grief and rage.
• The chapter ends with Xiao Chen confronting Gou Qingyi. Gou Qingyi calmly justifies the massacre as repayment for the demons killed in the village, while recognizing that Xiao Chen’s sword aura is far more threatening than expected.

Character Developments

• Gou Qingyi is exposed as an exceptionally cruel and arrogant demon. His pleasant human appearance is merely a disguise, and he takes pleasure in watching innocent people suffer. He values vengeance, reputation, and dominance over justice or compassion.
• Xiao Chen is shown to possess a strong sense of responsibility toward ordinary villagers. His desperate attempt to return and save them, followed by his overwhelming anger at arriving too late, establishes the massacre as a deeply personal conflict.
• The villagers demonstrate both fear and faith in Xiao Chen’s strength. They regard him as a protector capable of killing demon kings, but are helpless against the Demon Hound General.
• The neighboring villagers and elders show communal concern but also recognize the limits of mortal courage when faced with a powerful demon.

Significant Themes

• The brutality of revenge: Gou Qingyi punishes innocent people for an enemy’s actions, demonstrating how vengeance can become indiscriminate and monstrous.
• Powerlessness before overwhelming strength: The villagers’ inability to resist or even rescue their neighbors emphasizes the vast gap between mortals, cultivators, and demon lords.
• Justice versus cruelty: Xiao Chen’s anger reflects a moral response to the massacre, while Gou Qingyi treats mass murder as both entertainment and political messaging.
• Hidden identities and deceptive appearances: Gou Qingyi’s graceful human form conceals a savage demon, reinforcing the danger of judging power or character by outward appearance.
• Rising conflict: Xiao Chen’s status as a Myriad Dynasty Prodigy places him directly in the path of powerful regional demons, setting up an inevitable confrontation.

Character Interactions

• Gou Qingyi manipulates and questions the farmer before killing him once he learns Xiao Chen’s identity.
• A frightened villager tries to invoke Xiao Chen’s reputation to deter Gou Qingyi, but the demon instead confirms that Xiao Chen is his target.
• Gou Qingyi and Xiao Chen finally face each other amid the ruins. Gou Qingyi explains his massacre with chilling indifference, while Xiao Chen silently confronts the destruction and allows his killing intent to rise.

Chapter Summary: “Do You Have Demon Balm?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen confronts Gou Qingyi, the Demon Hound General, over the destruction of Lijia Village. Gou Qingyi openly declares that human lives are worthless compared with even one demon from his Demon Hound Grotto.
• Gou Qingyi discovers through his divine sense that Xiao Chen has completely annihilated the Demon Hound Grotto, including more than a dozen Demon Kings and Gou Qingyi’s younger brother. His anger and shock intensify.
• Nearby villagers realize that Xiao Chen, a young human, destroyed the supposedly formidable Demon Hound Grotto and now intends to challenge its powerful lord.
• Xiao Chen vows to eliminate Gou Qingyi, whom he regards as a savage “tumor” responsible for years of slaughtering innocent humans.
• Both combatants draw their weapons: Xiao Chen uses the Dragon Slayer Sword, while Gou Qingyi manifests a White Bone Demon Blade forged from his own bones. Gou Qingyi’s weapon releases nearly a hundred dark-green hound-shaped blade energies.
• Xiao Chen attacks using six powerful Dao runes—Disease, Calamity, Madness, Mountain, Destruction, and Sword—which form protective armor around him. Gou Qingyi counters with a vicious dog-shaped blade strike.
• Their first clash creates a massive energy storm that splits the earth and destroys the surrounding forest. Both are forced back three steps, revealing that Xiao Chen can withstand Gou Qingyi’s power.
• Gou Qingyi is astonished that a youth under twenty can block his attack. Xiao Chen is likewise impressed by the Demon Hound General’s strength, recognizing him as a near-Divine Demon.
• Before the battle continues, Xiao Chen asks whether Gou Qingyi has already formed a “Gods-and-Devils Demon Balm” within his body, revealing that this substance is likely his true objective.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen: His anger over Lijia Village’s destruction drives him to openly challenge a powerful demon lord. Although he remains outwardly calm, he recognizes the danger posed by Gou Qingyi. His question about Demon Balm also reveals a focused, possibly strategic motive beyond revenge.
• Gou Qingyi: Initially arrogant and contemptuous of humanity, he becomes genuinely shocked when he learns that Xiao Chen destroyed the entire Demon Hound Grotto. His grief and fury over the deaths of his subordinate Demon Kings and younger brother transform his disdain into a personal desire to kill Xiao Chen.
• The Villagers: They shift from assuming Xiao Chen will be killed instantly to viewing him with amazement after he survives Gou Qingyi’s first attack.

Significant Themes

• Human dignity versus demonic supremacy: Gou Qingyi’s belief that humans are worthless directly conflicts with Xiao Chen’s determination to defend ordinary people.
• Justice and vengeance: Xiao Chen seeks to punish Gou Qingyi for years of atrocities, while Gou Qingyi fights out of rage and revenge for the destruction of his forces.
• Hidden strength and underestimated youth: Xiao Chen’s age and appearance conceal extraordinary power, allowing him to stand against a legendary demon lord.
• The cost of power: Gou Qingyi’s bone-forged weapon demonstrates his willingness to sacrifice part of his own body for greater strength.
• Greed and purpose beneath righteous action: Xiao Chen’s interest in the Gods-and-Devils Demon Balm suggests that personal objectives may coexist with his desire to avenge Lijia Village.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen and Gou Qingyi exchange ideological threats, with Xiao Chen condemning the demon’s slaughter of humans and Gou Qingyi mocking generations of failed demon slayers.
• Their first weapon clash establishes mutual recognition: Gou Qingyi is surprised by Xiao Chen’s strength, while Xiao Chen acknowledges Gou Qingyi as an exceptionally dangerous opponent.
• The villagers act as witnesses, interpreting the battle and emphasizing the dramatic reversal of expectations surrounding Xiao Chen’s abilities.

Chapter Summary: “Spiritual Fire Too Weak?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Chen continues eliminating demons in the Demon Hound Grotto and has already gathered numerous Aura Spirit Souls, including two Myriad Dynasty Stars.
• He targets Gou Qingyi’s Gods-and-Devils Demon Balm, believing it will give him a ninety-percent chance of advancing to the second layer of the King Realm.
• Gou Qingyi is enraged that Xiao Chen intends to kill him for the balm, and the two engage in a fierce sword battle.
• They exchange more than a thousand blows, destroying the surrounding forest and boulders while remaining evenly matched.
• Gou Qingyi’s White Bone Demon Blade, forged from his own bones and strengthened over centuries, cracks under the Dragon Slayer Sword.
• Gou Qingyi realizes that Xiao Chen’s sword may be an Emperor Artifact, astonishing both him and the watching villagers.
• Abandoning his damaged blade, Gou Qingyi unveils his true power: the Demon Hound Demonfire, transforming into a flame-wreathed fire demon hound and filling the heavens with terrifying heat.
• The spectators are overwhelmed by the flames and believe Gou Qingyi has revealed the power that allowed him to rule Orange Fire Mountain for a thousand years.
• Xiao Chen, however, remains completely unimpressed. Because he possesses the far stronger Solar Truefire and Netherworld Karma Fire, Gou Qingyi’s half-Spiritual Fire cannot harm or even heat him.
• Insulted and enraged when Xiao Chen calls his ultimate technique “far too weak,” Gou Qingyi summons nearly ten thousand flaming demon hounds and launches the Ten Thousand Hounds Charged Forth attack.

Character Developments

• Xiao Chen demonstrates increasing confidence and overwhelming defensive resistance. His Dragon Slayer Sword has regained some of its former divine power, allowing it to damage a powerful King Artifact.
• Xiao Chen’s mastery of superior flames becomes significant: his Solar Truefire and Netherworld Karma Fire render Gou Qingyi’s famed Demon Hound Demonfire ineffective.
• Gou Qingyi shifts from confidence to shock, then fury. His pride in his weapon and spiritual fire is badly wounded when Xiao Chen easily withstands his strongest technique.
• Gou Qingyi reveals that his reputation is not based solely on Blade Dao, emphasizing his depth as a powerful flame demon and mountain lord.
• The villagers’ view of Xiao Chen changes from skepticism to astonishment, though many still interpret his dismissal of the Demonfire as reckless boasting.

Significant Themes

• Hidden strength and misjudgment: Gou Qingyi’s famous techniques appear terrifying to ordinary observers but are insignificant against Xiao Chen’s extraordinary abilities.
• Pride and humiliation: Gou Qingyi’s anger is driven less by the physical damage to his weapon than by Xiao Chen’s public contempt for his greatest power.
• Superior artifacts and inherited power: The restored Dragon Slayer Sword’s latent divine might allows Xiao Chen to challenge weapons thought nearly indestructible.
• Perspective and power: The villagers judge strength by the visible destructive force of the flames, while Xiao Chen evaluates them against much higher standards.
• Escalation of conflict: Gou Qingyi’s failed demonstrations of power push him toward an even larger and more destructive attack.

Character Interactions

• Xiao Chen directly confronts Gou Qingyi over the Gods-and-Devils Demon Balm, making their conflict openly adversarial.
• Their initial sword clash is evenly balanced, but the Dragon Slayer Sword damages Gou Qingyi’s prized White Bone Demon Blade.
• Gou Qingyi accuses Xiao Chen of arrogance through his actions and challenges him to withstand the Demon Hound Demonfire.
• Xiao Chen bluntly insults Gou Qingyi’s supposedly unrivaled flames by calling them weak, provoking the demon hound into unleashing thousands of flaming beasts.
• The surrounding villagers act as witnesses, repeatedly praising Gou Qingyi’s reputation while being shocked by Xiao Chen’s apparent immunity to his fire.