Chapter Summaries

After rescuing Two-Shaku-Sama from the Ksitigarbha statue, Uesugi Tetsu and Ririko resumed cultivation while Two-Shaku-Sama guarded the villa ahead of the Seed Battle qualifiers. In Tokyo, the young monk Yinli met Okabe Motonobu and invited her to watch the qualifiers, while she recognized an insignia connected to the Sword Saint.

• Two-Shaku-Sama thanked Ririko for protecting Uesugi Tetsu, and the two exchanged wary greetings after her return from the Ksitigarbha statue.
• Ririko proposed more Embracing the Elixir cultivation, but Uesugi Tetsu suggested opening Acupoints and advancing his Flesh Refining instead; Two-Shaku-Sama agreed to patrol the villa and protect its barrier.
• Uesugi Tetsu and Ririko opened two Acupoints and increased his Heavy Blood progress overnight, then Two-Shaku-Sama asked how to advance into a Ghost God.
• In Shibuya, the young monk Yinli bought cotton candy and asked Okabe Motonobu to accompany him to the Seed Battle qualifiers; she accepted because she lacked a ticket.
• Okabe Motonobu noticed an insignia on a woman following Yinli and recognized it as belonging to the Sword Saint's side.

Okabe Motonobu learned that Hozoin Inrai was being watched as a potential Sword Saint candidate, then got a phone and a meal invitation from him. As the Seed Battle elimination tournament approached, Uesugi Tetsu completed the Heavy Blood Stage and arranged for Two-Shaku-Sama to test her Nioh state against Ririko, leaving their spar about to begin.

• Okabe Motonobu recognized the insignia worn by the woman observing Hozoin Inrai, and Inrai explained that the current Sword Saint was assessing him as a possible successor.
• Inrai invited Okabe Motonobu to eat, and Yuanzheng went to buy them phones after Inrai asked him to.
• Uesugi Tetsu opened his twenty-third Acupoint and completed the Heavy Blood Stage while Ririko advanced to sixteen Acupoints.
• Two-Shaku-Sama wiped sweat from Uesugi Tetsu and Ririko, then agreed to demonstrate her Nioh state in the courtyard.
• Ririko and Two-Shaku-Sama agreed to spar under Uesugi Tetsu's rule that they stop once one gained the advantage and avoid bleeding.
• Two-Shaku-Sama invoked her Nioh state as she prepared to face Ririko.

Two-Shaku-Sama transformed into the powerful Eight-Shaku Nioh, then sparred with Ririko and learned how far her inexperience still left her behind. Before the knockout tournament, Uesugi Tetsu completed the Flesh Refining stage and saw White Brahma finish upgrading into Red Brahma.

• Two-Shaku-Sama entered the Nioh state, gaining greatly increased vitality, abilities, and a fifteen-minute limit.
• Ririko exposed Two-Shaku-Sama’s lack of experience in a sparring match, repeatedly cutting her until Uesugi Tetsu stopped the fight and called it a draw.
• The next morning, Uesugi Tetsu opened his twenty-eighth Acupoint, completed the Flesh Refining stage, and raised his physical constitution to 80.
• Uesugi Tetsu chose to continue cultivating Sinew Casting rather than practice an Ultimate Form.
• Uesugi Tetsu’s White Brahma incarnation finished upgrading, granting him the demon incarnation Red Brahma.

Uesugi Tetsu transformed White Brahma into the powerful Red Brahma, discovered the Ghost God Heavenly Path, and learned about several routes to Ghost God advancement. As the Seed Battle qualifiers were set to begin in six hours, he and Ririko prepared to travel to Sky City while powerful figures across the world turned their attention to the competition.

• Uesugi Tetsu inspected Red Brahma’s new talents and increased rank limit, then incarnated and felt its immense power and a mysterious Heavenly Path.
• Ririko and Kaga Kiyomitsu reacted to Red Brahma’s intimidating presence, and Uesugi Tetsu discovered that his Charm had fallen to negative seventeen and his Brahma Mask had changed.
• Uesugi Tetsu searched the Special Affairs Division app and read about advancement paths for yokai, Supernatural Phenomena, samurai, and Onmyoji, while Two-Shaku-Sama said she was probably no longer a Supernatural Phenomenon.
• The Seed Battle number plates of all 128 eastern-region contestants began glowing and showed a six-hour countdown to the qualifiers.
• Uesugi Tetsu, Ririko, Two-Shaku-Sama, and Kaga Kiyomitsu prepared to head to Sky City as powerful factions across the world watched the event begin.
• In Kyoto, Musashi agreed to watch the Seed Battle with the Sword Saint, who welcomed the possibility that Musashi might cut him down.

Yagyū Shion and the other competitors gathered in Sky City as the Tokyo Seed Battle began, while prominent spectators and rivals arrived. The chapter ended with Minamoto Shizuka, Saito Ryuichi, and Uesugi Tetsu entering the arena as the elimination tournament was announced, and Minamoto Shinsui began watching the livestream at Kyūkōin Jin’s home.

• Yagyū Shion took his seat for the tournament, while Tamamo and Chisa met Hozoin Inrai and Monk Yuanzheng in the VIP section.
• Raikō stopped two sword-wielding youths from fighting at the arena entrance, and Kitada Kei quietly took the TOP 2 seat.
• Tokugawa Ryūji set out for Sky City to watch the tournament and see how much her younger sister Ririko had grown.
• Minamoto Shizuka, Takizawa Kai, and Saito Ryuichi entered Sky City, and Minamoto Shizuka released her sword intent over the crowd.
• Uesugi Tetsu accepted a box of lemon tea sent by Kyūkōin Jin, while Kujo Obuya watched the arriving competitors from the arena platform.
• Minamoto Shinsui visited Kyūkōin Jin to watch the Seed Battle livestream, and Onmyo Assistant announced the start of the elimination tournament.

Uesugi Tetsu watched the Seed Battle rankings shift while Flame Style provoked the top contestants and declared he would claim first place. Saito Ryuichi forfeited his first challenge to Hayashi Jin'ya, and Flame Style began challenging upward, setting his sights on the top rank.

• Uesugi Tetsu assessed the top contestants and exchanged taunts with Flame Style, who claimed he would take first place.
• Uesugi Tetsu gave Minamoto Shizuka a bottle of lemon tea, while the first elimination round began and contestants fought to improve their rankings.
• Yagyū Shion climbed to thirty-third place, while Akechi Yuya fell beyond sixty; Okabe Motonobu heard Chisa identify the masked Uesugi Tetsu and wondered whether he was the Great Onmyoji Tetsu.
• Hayashi Jin'ya defeated an opponent with one slash, entered the top twenty, and challenged tenth-ranked Saito Ryuichi.
• Saito Ryuichi immediately forfeited, dropped to twentieth place, and left Hayashi Jin'ya unable to challenge Flame Style, who had already challenged TOP8.

Flame Style defeated Higashiyama Kei in under a second, then wore down Raikō in a thirty-minute fight. After Uesugi Tetsu forfeited to let Takizawa Kai challenge him, Flame Style chose Uesugi as his next opponent.

• Higashiyama Kei sent Bone General and Wildfire to fight Flame Style, but Flame Style knocked him unconscious before his Shikigami could fuse.
• Higashiyama Kei learned that his lack of experience against powerful enemies had hindered him, while Nanjō Emi claimed Uesugi Tetsu far surpassed Flame Style in talent and effort.
• Flame Style fought Raikō for thirty minutes, evading his attacks and eventually wearing him down.
• Uesugi Tetsu offered to forfeit so Takizawa Kai could face Flame Style, and Takizawa accepted the challenge.
• Uesugi forfeited when Takizawa challenged him, dropping his ranking, and Flame Style immediately challenged him next.

Uesugi Tetsu faced Flame Style in the arena, turning aside his attacks without moving and drawing blood with a precise lightning strike. Flame Style unleashed his full power in a devastating final blow, but Uesugi Tetsu remained unharmed as the dust cleared.

• Flame Style disparaged people without talent, and Uesugi Tetsu answered that he would speak with his fists.
• Flame Style rushed Uesugi Tetsu with a kick but retreated when his instincts warned him that striking would be fatal.
• Uesugi Tetsu invited Flame Style to make him bleed, then stood still as Flame Style's Mountain-Breaking Fist crashed against his layered defensive energy.
• Flame Style removed the steel rings restricting his strength and attacked with Hellstorm Leg, but Uesugi Tetsu cut through the attack and nicked his face with lightning.
• Uesugi Tetsu mocked Flame Style's boast and declared that even an allegedly useless person could make him bleed; spectators and challengers reacted to his abilities.
• Flame Style unleashed Hellfire, Rakshasa Fist, devastating part of the arena, but Uesugi Tetsu emerged uninjured and asked whether he was finished.

Uesugi Tetsu defeated Flame Style without moving, then Ririko challenged and beat the recovering Flame Style as the rankings shifted. A powerful sword heart appeared over the venue, and Uesugi Tetsu decided to warm up his Iaido against Kamizumi before facing the newcomer Kitamura Yūyū.

• Uesugi Tetsu endured Flame Style's Hell Rakshasa Fist unharmed, then struck back with a barrage of thunder-infused plain spears that left Flame Style charred and defeated.
• The referee declared Uesugi Tetsu the winner, and spectators noticed the ground beneath his feet had remained untouched throughout the fight.
• Takizawa Kai, Saito Ryuichi, Tsuchimikado Ran, and Kamo Kiichi considered Uesugi Tetsu's abilities and speculated that he had married into the Nanjō family.
• A flawless sword heart appeared above the venue, and Ririko announced she would cut down Flame Style because she disliked him.
• Ririko climbed the rankings, defeated Flame Style, and stopped below Uesugi Tetsu, while Kitamura Yūyū rose to become the tenth-place gatekeeper.
• Uesugi Tetsu decided to use Kamizumi to warm up his Iaido.

Uesugi Tetsu defeated young Kamiizumi Nobutsuna in the Projection Secret Realm and cleared its final floor, earning powerful rewards. Back in the Seed Battle, Kitamura Yūyū defeated Flame Style and Hayashi Jin'ya before challenging Uesugi.

• Uesugi Tetsu asked Kamiizumi to demonstrate Iaido, survived his surprise strike, and fought him at godspeed until he beheaded him.
• Uesugi cleared the forty-second floor and received Gengoro's Sword and The Sole Solution to Karuta.
• Ye Chun woke to the ranking change, recognized Uesugi in the livestream, and searched for a tipping button.
• Kitamura Yūyū defeated Flame Style and then Hayashi Jin'ya, strengthening himself after each victory.
• Kitamura challenged sixth-ranked Uesugi Tetsu and introduced himself as they faced one another in the arena.

Uesugi Tetsu defeated Kitamura Yūyū in a lightning-fast sword duel, which spectators watched in a replay slowed down ten thousand times. Afterward, Uesugi Tetsu tracked the rankings and provoked Takizawa Kai into accepting a fight.

• Uesugi Tetsu declared that he would end the match with one slash, then drew Kitamura Yūyū into a decisive clash by steering the conversation and disrupting his timing.
• Kitamura Yūyū unleashed his full resolve in a single strike, but Uesugi Tetsu won the exchange and the referee declared him victorious.
• The stadium replayed the duel at one ten-thousandth speed, revealing the precise sword clash and stunning spectators who had struggled to understand the result.
• After both fighters were healed, Uesugi Tetsu praised Kitamura Yūyū and checked the rankings, noting Ririko’s rise and Yagyū Shion’s position.
• When Aonosuke challenged Raikō, Uesugi Tetsu decided to reclaim his own ranking by fighting Takizawa Kai and provoked him into abandoning his plan to avoid the match.

Takizawa Kai used a barrage of Five Elements Onmyōjutsu against Uesugi Tetsu, who endured the attacks to study the Five Elements and strengthen his qi. After half an hour, Uesugi recovered and prepared to retaliate with his own Onmyōjutsu.

• Takizawa Kai accepted Uesugi Tetsu’s challenge, confident that his knowledge of Uesugi’s earlier battles and mastery of the Five Elements would give him an advantage.
• Takizawa Kai’s combined fire, water, and metal attack pierced Uesugi Tetsu’s defenses and sent him to the arena’s edge, drawing blood as he gained insight into the Five Elements.
• Minamoto Shinsui realized that Uesugi Tetsu’s qi sea was defined by the Five Elements and that he had just comprehended the relationship between metal and water.
• Takizawa Kai continued bombarding Uesugi Tetsu with spells and traps for half an hour, while Uesugi endured the attacks to study the Five Elements and recover through Pale Frenzy.
• Uesugi Tetsu rose from the smoke, thanked Takizawa Kai for the attack, and summoned two purple-black thunder dragons to begin his counterattack.

Uesugi Tetsu defeated Takizawa Kai after unleashing fourteen thunder dragons and breaking through Takizawa’s final Five-Element attack. He advanced to TOP5, where Ririko challenged Tokugawa Haruhiko, who reluctantly prepared to face his Fifth Sister.

• Takizawa Kai unleashed his Five-Element secret art as Uesugi Tetsu drew in the venue’s spiritual energy and summoned fourteen thunder dragons.
• Uesugi Tetsu split Takizawa’s white beam with a transparent blade, then reached the exhausted Takizawa and knocked him unconscious.
• The referee declared Uesugi Tetsu the winner, and a god-spirit gave him a business card before he advanced to TOP5.
• Uesugi Tetsu returned to the stands and noticed that Ririko was challenging Tokugawa Haruhiko.
• Tokugawa Haruhiko asked Ririko to consider their sibling relationship, but she refused to back down, and they were teleported to the arena.

Tokugawa Ririko defeated Tokugawa Haruhiko while declaring that Uesugi Tetsu belonged to her, and her victory left Haruhiko with a lasting facial injury. The first stage of the Eastern Region Seed Battle elimination tournament ended, and the rules for challenging upward changed to allow only one defeat.

• Tokugawa Haruhiko urged Ririko to discard Kaga Kiyomitsu, but she declared that Uesugi Tetsu was hers and that his sword was not external help.
• Uesugi Tetsu struggled as Two-Shaku-Sama reacted jealously to Ririko's claim, while Ye Chun's brother returned home and teased her about watching the livestream.
• Nanjō Emi told Kujo Obuya that Ririko and Uesugi had met during a dangerous supernatural-phenomenon game, while Okabe Motonobu recognized Kaga Kiyomitsu and wondered if Uesugi was someone from her past.
• Ririko overwhelmed Haruhiko, knocked him unconscious, and asked the doctor ghost-god to leave his facial injuries untreated; after his other injuries healed, Haruhiko discovered his swollen face.
• Onmyo Assistant announced that the first elimination stage had ended and the bottom sixty-four contestants, including Akechi Yuya, were eliminated.
• Onmyo Assistant changed the rules so that contestants challenging upward would lose that qualification after a single defeat.

Tokugawa Ririko climbed to ninth place by defeating Flame Style after Aonosuke surrendered to her challenge. Uesugi Tetsu then challenged fourth-ranked Tsuchimikado Ran, who accepted, setting up their next fight.

• Tokugawa Ririko challenged tenth-ranked Aonosuke, who surrendered before she could attack.
• Ririko challenged Flame Style and overwhelmed him, then beheaded and pierced him through the heart to win and rise to ninth place.
• Uesugi Tetsu considered the higher-ranked opponents Ririko still needed to face, including Tsuchimikado Ran and Kamo Kiichi.
• Uesugi Tetsu challenged fourth-ranked Tsuchimikado Ran, and Ran accepted without hesitation.

Uesugi Tetsu and Tsuchimikado Ran fought a tactical battle in which Ran used time and spatial techniques while preparing a deadly curse. Ran completed the curse after pulling out the Black Nail, but Uesugi Tetsu remained unharmed, leaving Ran bewildered about what happened to Lord Magatsu's curse.

• Uesugi Tetsu borrowed Kaga Kiyomitsu from Ririko and faced Tsuchimikado Ran in the arena.
• Tsuchimikado Ran used Time-Flowing Path techniques to halt and displace Uesugi Tetsu while preparing a curse with a clay figurine.
• Uesugi Tetsu broke through Ran's attacks and repeatedly charged him, while Ran used barriers, spatial displacement, and Astral Path techniques to keep him away.
• Uesugi Tetsu summoned dozens of lightning-wrapped spears, and Ran redirected them before resisting Uesugi Tetsu's Soul Imprint and Mirage abilities.
• Uesugi Tetsu unleashed the Unknowing Sword, and Tsuchimikado Ran pulled out the Black Nail and drove it into the figurine's brow.
• Tsuchikado Ran expected the curse to kill Uesugi Tetsu, but Uesugi stood unharmed and Ran wondered where Lord Magatsu's curse had gone.

Uesugi Tetsu survived Tsuchimikado Ran’s curse, defeated Ran and Kamo Kiichi, and advanced through the Seed Battle. Ririko then challenged Tetsu as she continued her climb toward first place.

• Uesugi Tetsu defeated Tsuchimikado Ran after the curse mysteriously failed, but Ran suffered a terrifying backlash and the Ghost Gods revoked his qualification.
• Uesugi Tetsu challenged Kamo Kiichi and defeated him after a hard-fought battle, advancing past two prominent Onmyoji.
• Spectators learned that Uesugi Tetsu had recently been an unremarkable Sakurato High School student, while Nanjō Emi declared her confidence that he would become champion.
• Okabe Motonobu recognized Uesugi Tetsu as Tetsu and wondered how he had survived and remained young, while Kamo Kiichi accepted his defeat and resolved to keep improving.
• Ririko reclaimed Kaga Kiyomitsu, defeated Kamo Kiichi to take fourth place, and challenged Uesugi Tetsu for third.

Ririko challenged Uesugi Tetsu instead of joining forces with him, and the two began their first formal duel in the Seed Battle. After Ririko revealed her air blade and Consciousness Slash, Uesugi adapted to her attacks, and both fighters prepared to continue their fierce match.

• Ririko challenged Uesugi Tetsu, and Minamoto Shinsui explained to Kyūkōin Jin that strength came from knowingly making choices others would not.
• Ririko returned Kaga Kiyomitsu to Uesugi and unfolded her sword domain, while Uesugi sent Two-Shaku-Sama to watch from the sidelines.
• Ririko formed an air blade and used Consciousness Slash to make Uesugi fall, but he realized her attacks came from both the blade and her sword domain.
• Uesugi blocked Ririko's air blade, endured her domain's strikes, and redirected her Fang Thrusts into Tennen Rishin-ryū's Three-stage Thrust, which wounded him.
• Ririko attempted to follow a Consciousness Slash against Uesugi's neck with a decisive strike, but Uesugi countered and cut her shoulder.
• Uesugi told Ririko to use him as a whetstone, and both fighters faced each other with renewed resolve.

Uesugi Tetsu defeated Ririko after she reached the Other Shore of Clear Sword Heart, then turned his attention toward Kitada Kei. Minamoto Shinsui set off for Tokyo to meet Ririko, though her journey led somewhere far beyond it.

• Kaga Kiyomitsu told Uesugi Tetsu that Ririko’s gaze had caused her earlier consciousness slashes, and Ririko unleashed her Unknowing Swords against him.
• Ririko poured her Essence, Qi, and Spirit into a three-stage thrust that pierced Uesugi Tetsu’s defenses, but he transferred his blood and qi to blunt the final strike and declared victory.
• Ririko’s Sword Heart merged with her, and Tokugawa Ryūji realized she had reached the Other Shore of Clear Sword Heart.
• Kyūkōin Jin urged Minamoto Shinsui to return to the mortal world, so she left for Tokyo to see Ririko, though the narration foreshadowed a much longer journey elsewhere.
• Uesugi Tetsu relentlessly punched Ririko after her breakthrough, and the referee declared him the winner before he fixed his gaze on Kitada Kei.

Uesugi Tetsu defeated Tokugawa Ririko, who had just reached the Other Shore of Clear Sword Heart, then shared a sincere exchange with her as she recovered. After Ririko inexplicably defeated Saito Ryuichi, Kitada Kei challenged the number-one-ranked Minamoto Shizuka.

• Nanjō Emi treated Tokugawa Ririko, and Ririko told Uesugi Tetsu she was glad to live in the same era as him; he said he felt the same.
• Okabe Motonobu recognized Uesugi Tetsu as Tetsu, a Great Onmyoji from her past, but controlled her reaction and concealed her recognition.
• Uesugi Tetsu left the arena, and Saito Ryuichi challenged Rank Twelve, Flame Style, then advanced into the TOP 5.
• Tokugawa Ririko inexplicably defeated Saito Ryuichi before he understood that the battle had begun.
• Kitada Kei overcame his relief at Saito Ryuichi's defeat and challenged the number-one-ranked Minamoto Shizuka.