Recaps

Lu Ming found Liu Chengfeng’s remains and learned of his final wish to contact Luo Bao Ying of Wuying Sect, then claimed the swordsman’s possessions and learned a new sword technique. He ventured deeper, defeated an unusual Overlord-level demonic soul, and uncovered a massive Black Demon Stone Soul inside its head.

• Lu Ming discovered Liu Chengfeng’s corpse, read his final letter asking someone to find Luo Bao Ying at Wuying Sect, and took the Absolute Shadow Sword and the swordsman’s other belongings.
• Lu Ming found the Wuying Divine Sword Art and Aurora Wuying Sword in Liu Chengfeng’s Storage Ring and decided to learn the movement technique.
• Suspecting a greater danger deeper inside, Lu Ming continued onward with Little Fox tucked into his breastplate and practiced Aurora Wuying Sword.
• Lu Ming attacked an Ox Head Overlord-level demonic soul, evaded its powerful punches, and used saber techniques to destroy it.
• Lu Ming split the demonic soul’s bull head open and revealed a massive Black Demon Stone Soul.

Lu Ming reached the deepest part of the cave and found a Black Lotus growing on a beating, heart-like stone, whose mysterious will strengthened the demonic souls and resisted his saber intent. He took the lotus and destroyed the stone, causing the cave to collapse and a disturbance to spread across Demonic Soul Mountain.

• Lu Ming discovered that an unusually powerful Overlord-level demonic soul was stalking him and used his Slaughter Saber Intent to draw it out and destroy it.
• Lu Ming found a Black Lotus growing on a beating blood-red stone in a black pool and suspected it was the source of the cave's demonic souls' mutation.
• The strange demonic soul repeatedly reassembled under a mysterious will, but Lu Ming weakened that will by slashing it more than ten times, increasing his Slaughter Saber Intent.
• Lu Ming cut off the Black Lotus and retreated, then attacked the heart-like stone with Rising Sun Slash and Blazing Fire Burns the Sky.
• The stone shattered, releasing dense black aura and a furious roar as the cave collapsed and the disturbance reached Demonic Soul Mountain.

Lu Ming left Demonic Soul Mountain as an unusually violent demonic soul eruption began, then killed Old Freak White Brow with a single saber strike. He found a concealed place to examine his spoils, including a pair of Mid-grade Gloves.

• Overlord-level demonic souls poured from the canyon, forcing Su Xinghan, Gu Suhan, and the waiting experts into battle.
• Lu Ming escaped Demonic Soul Mountain, but Old Freak White Brow confronted him at its edge.
• Lu Ming killed Old Freak White Brow with his Void Slaughter Slash and stored the corpse in a Storage Ring.
• Xia Yue and her imperial uncle arrived, recognized Lu Ming's growing strength, and headed toward the eruption.
• Lu Ming found a concealed location, set up puppets, released Little Fox, and tested the Mid-grade Gloves he had taken.

Lu Ming used a Black Lotus petal to temper his Slaughter Saber Intent during a long seclusion, then prepared to improve his Destruction Sword Intent. Meanwhile, an unprecedented demonic-soul outbreak drew powerful figures and prodigies to the Dragon Marsh Perilous Land.

• Lu Ming found a seventh mysterious Stone Slab in Old Freak White Brow's belongings and made out the words “True Undying Art.”
• Lu Ming used a Black Lotus petal to fight its mysterious will in his sea of consciousness, raising his Slaughter Saber Intent to sixty-nine percent before continuing his training.
• After half a month, Lu Ming's Slaughter Saber Intent reached eighty-three percent, and he decided to switch to tempering his weaker Destruction Sword Intent.
• Five Kings of Demonic Souls and dozens of Overlord-level demonic souls appeared in Demonic Soul Mountain, sending demonic souls spreading beyond the range and driving hunters into retreat.
• The outbreak attracted powers and prodigies seeking Black Demon Stone Souls, including Linglong Yue, Xiong Jinghuai, and people from the Myriad Sword Palace.

Lu Ming arrived at Demonic Soul Mountain after advancing his Destruction Sword Intent to eighty percent and developing a new Dark Destruction Sword Intent. The gathered Overlords and prodigies focused their attention on him, and one elder asked whether he still had any Martial Dao Stones.

• Guzhou’s prodigies arrived, and their greater cultivation and combat strength unsettled the Fengzhou prodigies.
• A black-robed young man and Lu Shaotong mocked Fengzhou, while Su Xinghan restrained himself from challenging Lu Shaotong after his Great Elder warned him.
• The Black and White Envoys discussed the five Demonic Soul Kings and the need to obtain a Black Demon Stone Soul.
• Lu Ming emerged from seclusion with eighty-percent Destruction Sword Intent marked by black spots, which he named Dark Destruction Sword Intent.
• Lu Ming arrived at Demonic Soul Mountain, drawing the attention of more than a dozen Overlords, and an elder asked him for Martial Dao Stones.

Lu Ming clashed with Ba Men Tuhai after refusing to surrender his Martial Dao Stones, then overwhelmed the Eight Gates Family powerhouse with his Destruction Sword Intent. Ba Men Tuhai was left near death and appealed to He Xianjian for help.

• Ba Men Tuhai demanded Lu Ming hand over his Martial Dao Stones or submit to a search, and Lu Ming refused and challenged him.
• Ba Men Tuhai attacked with Eight Gates Collapse Fist, but Lu Ming shattered the attack with a sword strike powered by eighty percent Destruction Sword Intent.
• Lu Ming pursued the injured Ba Men Tuhai and struck him repeatedly despite the protection of his Earth Origin Pearls.
• Ba Men Tuhai, unable to escape or withstand another strike, flew toward He Xianjian and begged him to save his life.

Lu Ming confronted He Xianjian, the powerful third-ranked Hegemon, after He intervened to protect Ba Men Tuhai. Their battle escalated, Ba Men Tuhai died in the aftermath, and He Xianjian’s Myriad Sword Art forced Lu Ming to dodge behind his Mid-grade Armor.

• Ba Men Tuhai begged He Xianjian to save him, and He Xianjian blocked Lu Ming’s attack and demanded that Lu Ming spare him.
• Lu Ming challenged He Xianjian’s hypocrisy, but He Xianjian threatened him with his perfected Sword Intent and gave him three breaths to apologize and leave.
• Lu Ming refused and insulted He Xianjian and Ba Men Tuhai, so He Xianjian attacked with perfected Sword Intent.
• Lu Ming countered with Rising Sun Slash, and their collision sent a shockwave through the crowd and killed the wounded Ba Men Tuhai.
• He Xianjian attacked with the Myriad Sword Art, broke through Lu Ming’s Blazing Fire Burns the Sky, and sent a long dragon of Sword Qi toward him.
• Lu Ming dodged and covered himself and the Little Fox with Mid-grade Armor as He Xianjian continued his assault.

Lu Ming fought He Xianjian and shattered his ultimate technique, Myriad Swords Become One, with Dark Destruction Wind Intent Slash. He Xianjian was defeated, but as Lu Ming prepared to act, another astonishing aura swept over.

• Lu Ming and He Xianjian traded dozens of sword attacks, and Xiong Jinghuai judged that He Xianjian still had the advantage because he had not used his strongest moves.
• He Xianjian forced Lu Ming back with Sword Qi Returns to Origin, then summoned a giant sword with Myriad Swords Become One.
• Lu Ming drew on the Dark Destruction Sword and used Dark Destruction Wind Intent Slash to shatter the giant sword, causing He Xianjian to vomit blood and fall back.
• Lu Ming swallowed a Crystal Flame Treasure Fruit to restore his Gang Yuan while He Xianjian and the crowd reacted to his defeat.
• Lu Ming prepared to move against He Xianjian, but another astonishing aura suddenly swept over.

Lu Ming and the others fled Demonic Soul Mountain after a terrifying presence awakened, while two Heaven Human Realm experts reinforced the seal on an ancient demon beneath the mountain. The demon was suppressed for now, but it vowed to escape and kill the human brat who had ruined its plans.

• Lu Ming sensed the familiar aura from the Black Lotus and left Demonic Soul Mountain, prompting the other factions to withdraw as well.
• Su Xinghan told the Great Elder of Seven Stars Palace that the Iron Mask Swordsman seemed strangely familiar.
• A man from Jade Emperor Palace and Senior Yu An of Heavenly Master Palace arrived at the fissure and found the seal weakening around the ancient demon.
• The two Heaven Human Realm experts poured their power into an ancient stone stele, strengthening the seal and driving back the black energy.
• The demon vowed to escape and kill the brat who had ruined its plans, while the two experts agreed to leave the remaining demonic souls to people from Feng Province and Gu Province.

Lu Ming traveled to Haixuan Kingdom to return Liu Chengfeng’s corpse to Wuying Sect, but encountered Old Man in Grey being chased by two young experts. After Old Man in Grey attacked him, Lu Ming killed him instantly and questioned his pursuers about their identities.

• Sea Transformation Realm experts reached the sealed barrier in Demonic Soul Mountain, then cleared the remaining Demonic Soul Kings.
• Lu Ming left the Dragon Marsh Perilous Land with Little Fox and decided to visit Wuying Sect in Haixuan Kingdom.
• During his journey, Lu Ming raised the Cave True Profound Technique to the eighth layer and reached the coast of Haixuan Kingdom.
• Lu Ming encountered Old Man in Grey fleeing from two young Late Gang Yuan Realm experts.
• Old Man in Grey attacked Lu Ming, who killed him instantly and collected his body.
• The two pursuers arrived and asked Lu Ming who he was, and he introduced himself as the Iron Mask Swordsman.

Lu Ming learned that Jiang Ruoshui had joined the Jade Emperor Palace, then reached Wuying Sect and intervened when Marquis of Purple Robes threatened Luo Bao Ying. The chapter ended as Lu Ming, disguised behind a silver mask and bamboo hat, appeared between Luo Bao Ying and her attacker.

• Lu Ming learned from Yao Fei and Fu Lan that their Junior Sister was Jiang Ruoshui, and gave them the Old Man in Grey's corpse.
• Lu Ming discovered that the Jade Emperor Palace was a Third Rank Power and examined the Old Man in Grey's weapon, martial art, and other possessions on his way to Wuying Sect.
• Lu Ming arrived in Wuying Sect's territory and saw Marquis of Purple Robes overpowering Luo Bao Ying while demanding that she marry him and surrender the sect.
• Lu Ming decided to disguise himself to avoid bringing trouble to Wuying Sect, then appeared before Luo Bao Ying as she was about to kill herself.

Lu Ming killed Marquis of Purple Robes, returned Liu Chengfeng’s corpse and Wuying Divine Sword manual to Luo Bao Ying, and agreed to visit Wuying Sect to learn its secret. As they arrived, Luo Bao Ying’s younger sister greeted her and asked who Lu Ming was.

• Lu Ming killed Marquis of Purple Robes with Aurora Wuying and collected his corpse.
• Lu Ming showed Luo Bao Ying Liu Chengfeng’s letter and returned her husband’s corpse, revealing that he had found it on Demonic Soul Mountain.
• Lu Ming identified himself as the Iron Mask Swordsman, returned Wuying Sect’s original sword manual, and said he would return the Absolute Shadow Sword when he reached the Sea Transformation Realm.
• Luo Bao Ying offered to hand Wuying Sect over to Lu Ming and persuaded him to come learn the secret Marquis of Purple Robes had sought.
• Luo Bao Ying explained that Purple Luo Mountain Villa had targeted Wuying Sect for its secret, and Lu Ming accompanied her to the sect.
• A woman at the Early Gang Yuan Realm welcomed Luo Bao Ying back and asked who Lu Ming was.

Lu Ming stayed at Wuying Sect while Luo Bao Ying mourned Liu Chengfeng, then exposed his identity after she tested him with a beauty’s stratagem. Luo Bao Ying recognized him as the famed Lu Ming and offered to reveal Wuying Sect’s secret, but he declined to rush her.

• Luo Bao Ying brought Lu Ming to Wuying Sect and left him to wait while she buried her husband and gathered the sect members.
• Little Fox warned Lu Ming about a beauty’s stratagem, and Lu Ming suspected Guo Hanmeng had ulterior motives.
• Guo Hanmeng learned that Liu Chengfeng had fallen and agreed with Luo Bao Ying to investigate the masked stranger after the burial.
• Luo Bao Ying visited Lu Ming at night dressed seductively, but he identified her attempt as a beauty’s stratagem and invited her to follow him.
• Lu Ming removed his mask and revealed that he was the young Grand Elder of Wuji Sect, Lu Ming, and Luo Bao Ying confirmed his identity using a ranking booklet and his Slaughter Saber Intent.
• Luo Bao Ying apologized and offered to tell Lu Ming Wuying Sect’s secret, but he said there was no need to hurry.

Lu Ming discovered that Guo Hanmeng had betrayed Luo Bao Ying and killed her and the Evil King Hall’s three guardians. Luo Bao Ying explained the Hall’s bloody history, leaving Lu Ming asking whether it had truly been destroyed.

• Lu Ming questioned how Marquis of Purple Robes had learned the Wuying Sect’s secret inheritance, and Guo Hanmeng arrived with the Carefree Three Elders.
• Guo Hanmeng admitted she had leaked information and blamed her relationship with Purple, while the elders revealed they were guardians of the Evil King Hall.
• Lu Ming killed all three guardians and then struck down Guo Hanmeng despite Luo Bao Ying’s attempt to stop him.
• Luo Bao Ying asked to bury Guo Hanmeng, and Lu Ming agreed before asking about the Evil King Hall.
• Luo Bao Ying explained that the Evil King Hall had once been a First-Rank power before the great powers joined forces to exterminate it, and Lu Ming asked if it had been destroyed.

Lu Ming and Luo Bao Ying entered the hidden space of Wuying Sect, where sword-wielding shadows tested their skills. Luo Bao Ying stayed behind to train, while Lu Ming went deeper into the space alone.

• Luo Bao Ying explained that Wuying Sect's Absolute Shadow Sword and Grand Elder token could open a hidden space passed down through the sect.
• Lu Ming and Luo Bao Ying activated the sword and token together, entered the space, and confirmed they could leave through its light gate.
• Lu Ming and Luo Bao Ying fought through groups of sword shadows, reaching stages with increasingly strong opponents.
• At the gate to the third stage, Luo Bao Ying chose to stay and temper her swordsmanship while Lu Ming continued alone.
• Luo Bao Ying reflected that Lu Ming had treated her honorably, then returned to fight the shadows and strengthen herself.

Lu Ming tempered his swift and slow intents while battling increasingly powerful shadows, shaping his killing move One Sword Limitless and clearing the fourth level. He entered the fifth level cautiously and reached a stone stele, where its writing finally came into focus.

• Lu Ming restarted the second level’s third stage to temper his swift sword, cleared it on his fourth attempt, and raised his swift intent to forty percent.
• Lu Ming cleared the third level, raising his swift intent to sixty-eight percent and his slow intent to sixty percent.
• Lu Ming formed One Sword Limitless on the fourth level, using his swift and slow intents to unleash sixty-eight swords at once.
• Luo Bao Ying cleared the first level, raised her swift intent to fifty percent, and decided to enter the second level.
• Lu Ming repeatedly challenged the fourth level’s third stage, reached eighty percent swift intent, and cleared all the shadows with 108 swords.
• Lu Ming entered the fifth level, carefully crossed the stone-slab path, and approached the stone stele until its writing became clear.

Lu Ming comprehended the Profound Void Sword Ancestor’s Spatial Profundity inheritance and left the trials with Luo Bao Ying. He gave her a speed-conception jade slip and planned to divert suspicion from Wuying Sect by exposing Marquis of Purple Robes’ corpse at Purple Luo Mountain Villa before departing.

• Lu Ming studied the sword scar on the stele, perfected his conception of speed, grasped a trace of Spatial Profundity, and obtained the [Profound Void Sword Technique].
• Luo Bao Ying reached the First Stage platform and worried that Wuying Sect might be blamed for Marquis of Purple Robes’ disappearance.
• Lu Ming told Luo Bao Ying that the inheritance lay beyond the fifth level, gave her his speed-conception jade slip and Absolute Shadow Sword, and accepted her Cheng Ying Sword in return.
• Luo Bao Ying learned from the Wuying Sect Master that nobody had come looking for her during her absence.
• Lu Ming decided to leave Marquis of Purple Robes’ corpse at Purple Luo Mountain Villa under a false identity to divert suspicion, then departed after telling Luo Bao Ying they might meet again.

Lu Ming used the name Yanluo Hall to frame the fall of Purple Luo Mountain Villa and draw attention to Evil King Hall. Daoist Yinshi arrived to avenge Marquis of Purple Robes, but Ling Shu Zi and three others surrounded him.

• Xingyun Sect and other forces spread rumors linking Purple Luo Mountain Villa to Evil King Hall, while Lu Ming welcomed the attention he had deliberately attracted.
• Lu Ming entered the villa disguised as the Lord of Yanluo Hall, displayed Marquis of Purple Robes' corpse, and left a Yanluo token embedded in a pillar before vanishing.
• The villa's frightened occupants fled, and Luo Bao Ying recognized Lu Ming's role in resolving Wuying Sect's crisis.
• Daoist Yinshi returned to the villa with a black-clad man, found his son's corpse, and swore revenge on the Lord of Yanluo Hall before crushing his captive.
• Ling Shu Zi confronted Daoist Yinshi, and three more figures arrived to surround him and declare that the remnants of Evil King Hall would die.

Months after Lu Ming concluded his conflict with Wuying Sect, fighters gathered at Nine Heavens Mountain Stone Mill Cliff for the Divine Martial Secret Realm’s opening. As Fengzhou’s prodigies faced ridicule over their weaker reputations, Yuan Xinzhu challenged Kuanglei Zi to prove his worth.

• Daoist Yinshi escaped beyond the Sky Curtain after fighting Ling Shu Zi and Wumu Old Freak, and Lu Ming recognized the name but decided he was not strong enough to get involved.
• Several months later, experts and Martial Artists gathered at Stone Mill Cliff as Fengzhou and Guzhou prepared to select rankings for the Divine Martial Secret Realm.
• Spectators argued that Guzhou’s prodigies far outclassed Fengzhou’s, and Kuanglei Zi mocked Fengzhou’s contenders as unworthy of their places.
• Yuan Xinzhu, ranked fifth on Fengzhou’s Prodigy Ranking, challenged Kuanglei Zi to prove his strength, and Kuanglei Zi accepted.
• Yuan Xinzhu headed to the arena in the pool as the gathered crowd anticipated their match.

Yuan Xinzhu defeated Kuanglei Zi in a hard-fought match at Clearwater Pond, drawing cheers from the Fengzhou crowd. As the gathering grew livelier and Fengzhou’s prodigies arrived, Lu Ming remained absent while Guzhou’s top prodigies Kou Yu and Cui Lang appeared.

• Yuan Xinzhu blocked Kuanglei Zi’s thunder attacks and struck him with a rapid saber slash, then endured their exchange and won with difficulty.
• Wu Qihua claimed he could defeat Yuan Xinzhu in one move, while Lu Shaotong said he would challenge Fairy Ziyun for her rank.
• Fengzhou’s crowd celebrated Yuan Xinzhu’s victory, and the gathering continued with matches, displays, and arriving prodigies.
• The attendees discussed the absent Lu Ming, who had not appeared since the Prodigy Competition, and wondered how strong he had become.
• Kou Yu and Cui Lang, Guzhou’s top-ranked prodigies, arrived together and drew everyone’s attention.

Lu Ming arrived at Stone Mill Cliff for the secret realm ranking battle between Fengzhou and Guzhou, where the gathered prodigies and Sea Transformation Realm experts sized up their rivals. As the thirty participants assembled, the Grand Elder of Xuanjian Gate took the stage to begin the event.

• Kou Yu and Cui Lang arrived at Stone Mill Cliff, displaying their strength and rivalry as Guzhou’s top-ranked prodigies.
• Lu Ming arrived and reunited with Xia Yue, drawing attention from both prefectures with his peak Mid Gang Yuan Realm cultivation.
• Lu Ming greeted the Fengzhou prodigies and assessed their cultivation, while the thirty participants gathered for the ranking battle.
• Sea Transformation Realm experts arrived, and Eight Gates Iron Fan and True Man Sanling discussed their grievances against the Iron Mask Swordsman.
• The experts turned their attention to the battle, and the Grand Elder of Xuanjian Gate stepped forward to preside over it.

The ranking competition began with provisional placements and challenge rules, and Rong Qi defeated Eight Gates Long Arms to claim fifteenth place. After the rankings shifted, Gu Sha stepped forward to challenge Li Mingfeng.

• The Grand Elder of Xuanjian Gate announced the challenge rules and assigned the Guzhou geniuses the first twenty provisional ranks and the Fengzhou geniuses the next ten.
• Rong Qi challenged Guzhou's fifteenth-ranked Eight Gates Long Arms and struck him with a fist that erupted with greater force a second time.
• Eight Gates Long Arms counterattacked with Eight Gates Collapse Fist, but Rong Qi drove him from the arena and won.
• Rong Qi took fifteenth place while Eight Gates Long Arms fell to twenty-third, and Lu Ming considered learning from Rong Qi's unusual fist technique.
• Gu Sha entered the arena and challenged the fourteenth-ranked Li Mingfeng.

Gu Sha defeated Li Mingfeng, and Yu Mengwu and Yuan Xinzhu also won their ranking challenges, strengthening Fengzhou’s showing. After recovering from his loss, Li Mingfeng challenged Lu Ming, leaving the crowd eager to see Fengzhou’s top prodigy fight.

• Gu Sha overwhelmed Li Mingfeng with his Heavenly Origin Battle Body and claimed the fourteenth rank, while Li Mingfeng fell to twenty-fourth.
• Yu Mengwu defeated the person ranked sixteenth with his enhanced Void Array Breaking Style and advanced his position.
• Yuan Xinzhu challenged and defeated the person ranked seventeenth.
• Li Mingfeng returned to the arena and challenged Lu Ming, prompting the spectators to anticipate their fight.

Lu Ming defeated Li Mingfeng without drawing his sabers, revealing formidable External Skill and dragon-like techniques. Su Xinghan then defeated Lu Shaotong, extending Fengzhou’s run of successful challenges.

• Lu Ming accepted Li Mingfeng’s challenge and tore through his Thick Earth Gang Shield with his claws before throwing him off the platform.
• The crowd marveled at Lu Ming’s high-level External Skill and the Wind and Metal Artistic Conceptions in his techniques.
• Lu Ming told Xia Yue that his Cave True Profound Technique had reached its ninth layer and credited his progress to a prescription.
• Su Xinghan challenged Lu Shaotong, whom he had previously encountered in the Dragon Marsh Perilous Land.
• Su Xinghan broke through Lu Shaotong’s Purgatory True Fire Slash with Star River Slash, then cut a lock of his hair with Flying God Sword to claim victory.

Fengzhou's challengers continued winning as Gu Sha defeated Lu Shaotong, who nearly fell into Qi Deviation before an elder stopped him. With the other Fengzhou prodigies having all fought, attention turned to Lu Ming, who had yet to challenge anyone.

• Mo Xiruo and Taiqing Changyi defeated Guzhou contestants with their improved abilities, deepening Guzhou's frustration.
• Lu Shaotong challenged Gu Sha, but Gu Sha dodged and counterattacked until he won after more than two hundred moves.
• Lu Shaotong tried to return to the arena in a rage, but an elder restrained him and brought his Qi Deviation under control.
• Yi Qianling defeated the twentieth-ranked contestant with her sixty-percent Ice Intent, impressing the crowd and Mo Xiruo.
• Gu Suhan beat Eight Gates Long Arms, leaving Lu Ming as the only Fengzhou prodigy who had yet to challenge anyone.