Chapter Summaries

Lin Bai watched the Sacred Kingdom’s powerful figures gather at Dragon Phoenix Estate for the martial contest, including the Left Prime Minister, Dragon Lord, Phoenix Lord, and two bureau chiefs. The Imperial Advisor then arrived, leaving the assembled guests awaiting the remaining events.

• The eighteen First-Rank Army Marquises deployed a hundred thousand elite soldiers outside Dragon Phoenix Estate, puzzling Lin Bai and Lu Yin.
• The Left Prime Minister arrived and reunited warmly with Iron Sword Marquis before taking his seat beside the Right Prime Minister.
• Dragon Lord Ke Yan and Phoenix Lord entered together and took seats beside each other.
• Dragon Slaying Bureau Chief Zhang Wu descended from the sky and took his place on the third tier.
• Hanging Sword Bureau Chief Ming Yuan arrived with Dan Xiaonan, who smiled at Lin Bai before leaving with Ming Yuan.
• The Imperial Advisor entered the venue riding a white deer that walked through the air, and the martial artists rose to greet him.

Lin Bai attended the martial contest, where Imperial Advisor Chao Dao noticed his rapid cultivation and the Four Great Princes arrived. Prince Gui then fixed Lin Bai with a chilling smile that made Lin Bai feel the prince somehow knew him.

• Imperial Advisor Chao Dao greeted the officials and paused to ask about Lin Bai, learning that Lin Bai had reached the seventh stage of the Apex Realm.
• Chao Dao privately noted Lin Bai’s progress and sighed that events would happen soon, while the Left Prime Minister drank nearby.
• Prince Rong, Prince Hua, Prince Fu, and Prince Gui arrived with a large escort, and the officials rose to welcome them.
• Prince Hua and Prince Fu argued over their past rivalry for the Phoenix Lord, while Lu Yin described the Four Great Princes to Lin Bai.
• Prince Gui noticed Lin Bai watching him and gave him a frightening smile that left Lin Bai feeling the prince knew him.

The Crown Prince and the Seventeenth Prince arrived at the Dragon Court and Phoenix Pavilion martial contest, where Lin Bai recognized several familiar people among the assembled guests. The contest began with ten platforms calling up numbered competitors, and Lin Bai saw that his match on the Dragon Platform was number seventy-seven.

• Prince Gui gave Lin Bai a chilling look, and Lin Bai later recognized Mo Wenshen and Wen Jia standing together behind Prince Rong.
• The Crown Prince arrived and urged the Dragon Lord and Phoenix Lord to begin the contest before the Seventeenth Prince had arrived.
• The Seventeenth Prince arrived with Zhao Yue as his attendant, and Lin Bai recognized her as Ye Suxin.
• The Dragon Lord announced the contest after the Crown Prince and Seventeenth Prince took their seats, and the Phoenix Lord left him to manage the princes.
• Ten referee elders called out the first matches, and Lin Bai checked his token and found he was Dragon Platform number seventy-seven.

The Dragon Phoenix Pavilion’s martial competition began, and Lin Bai watched the early fights before his turn approached. He stepped onto the Dragon Arena as the crowd and several powerful observers focused on him.

• The elders announced the rules and began the competition across ten arenas, where the first round of battles unfolded.
• Sikong Jian defeated Lin Zhuo on the Dragon Arena, and Lin Bai noted that Sikong Jian had held back some of his strength.
• As the Dragon Arena’s match numbers neared his, Lin Bai told the Iron Sword Marquis he would prepare; the Marquis encouraged him, while Shui Qiudie disparaged him and Shui Yunmeng defended his strength.
• Prince Gui, the Imperial Advisor, the Left Prime Minister, and the Crown Prince noticed Lin Bai; the Crown Prince considered arranging a match between Lin Bai and Shui Yunmeng if he performed well.
• When the elder called the two competitors numbered seventy-seven, Lin Bai leaped onto the Dragon Arena as the spectators turned to watch.

Lin Bai faced Phoenix Pavilion swordsman Gu Tiancheng in his first arena battle and evaded his lightning-fast strike without drawing his own sword. He then revealed his mastery of Purgatory Seventy-Two Kills, astonishing the spectators and leaving the duel poised for his counterattack.

• Lin Bai entered the Dragon Platform and was matched against Gu Tiancheng of the Phoenix Pavilion, whose presence worried Shui Yunmeng and Dong Dian.
• Gu Tiancheng offered Lin Bai time to display his abilities, but Lin Bai declined and challenged him to a fair battle.
• Gu Tiancheng launched a swift sword thrust at Lin Bai, who dodged it with a slight tilt of his head.
• Gu Tiancheng acknowledged Lin Bai as a worthy opponent, and Lin Bai drew the Demon Sword and challenged him to catch one of his attacks.
• Lin Bai unleashed Purgatory Seventy-Two Kills, prompting Gongyang Hao to recognize the technique and Phoenix Lord and Dragon Lord to marvel at Lin Bai's sword talent.

Lin Bai defeated Gu Tiancheng on the Dragon Platform with the Fleeting Shadow technique, then learned his next opponent would be Phoenix Pavilion Thirty-Five. Gongyang Hao confronted Lin Bai over the Purgatory Seventy-Two Kills and declared war on him.

• Lin Bai overwhelmed Gu Tiancheng with his sword force and defeated him, advancing from Dragon Platform Seventy-Seven to Dragon Court Thirty-Five.
• Phoenix Lord and Dragon Lord discussed Lin Bai's mastery of the Purgatory Seventy-Two Kills, while Su Xianmei and Seventh Young Master praised his performance.
• Shui Qiudie dismissed Lin Bai's victory as luck, but Shui Yunmeng and Iron Sword Marquis defended his skill, and Iron Sword Marquis suggested arranging him an official post.
• Lin Bai waited beside the Dragon Platform for his next match, and Gongyang Hao of Phoenix Pavilion approached him.
• Gongyang Hao asked Lin Bai about the Purgatory Seventy-Two Kills and declared that he had come to declare war.

Lin Bai advanced through the Dragon Platform rounds and reached the top sixteen, where he learned that his next opponent would be Liu Yuqing of the Phoenix Pavilion. The Dragon Court fighters gathered to discuss their rivals and warned that Gongyang Hao was the tournament’s greatest threat.

• Gongyang Hao declared that he would fight Lin Bai without holding back if they met on the Dragon Platform, and Lin Bai accepted the challenge.
• Liu Yushan easily defeated his opponent, while Lin Bai and other competitors won their successive battles.
• After six rounds, Lin Bai and fifteen other fighters remained; six Dragon Court fighters and ten Phoenix Pavilion fighters had advanced.
• Liu En, Luo Liang, Huang Jinyu, Yang Xingyu, and Fu Tu joined Lin Bai to discuss the upcoming matches, and Fu Tu identified Liu Yuqing as Lin Bai’s opponent.
• Liu En and Yang Xingyu warned that Gongyang Hao was likely the strongest competitor and could claim first place for the Phoenix Pavilion.

Liu Yushan defeated Luo Liang in the first Dragon Arena round-of-sixteen match and secured a place in the round of eight. Afterward, Crown Prince tried to recruit both fighters, prompting Seventeenth Prince to object.

• Liu Yushan and Luo Liang began a fierce battle, exchanging thousands of blows while the spectators watched.
• Liu Yushan broke through Luo Liang's defenses and sent him to the edge of the arena, but Luo Liang launched his ultimate saber strike in a desperate attack.
• Liu Yushan countered with the Subduing Heaven Palm, left unharmed, and forced Luo Liang to concede.
• Crown Prince praised both fighters and offered to arrange positions for them in the Divine Capital.
• Seventeenth Prince objected to Crown Prince recruiting the fighters, wary of the strength they would add to his faction.

Lin Bai fought Liu Yuqing in the final match for the last top-eight spot, revealing greater strength after Liu Yuqing initially wounded him. Lin Bai gained the advantage, but Liu Yushan secretly guided Liu Yuqing’s attacks, and Liu Yuqing began exploiting openings in Lin Bai’s defenses.

• Lin Bai and Liu Yuqing began their top-sixteen match, with Liu Yuqing vowing to break Lin Bai’s bones over their earlier clash.
• Liu Yuqing struck Lin Bai hard enough to send him flying and make him spit blood.
• Lin Bai revealed that he had been using only thirty percent of his strength, then overwhelmed Liu Yuqing with a powerful sword strike and a barrage of attacks.
• As Lin Bai pressed his advantage, Liu Yushan used his martial soul to secretly instruct Liu Yuqing to target Lin Bai’s abdomen, face, and legs.
• Liu Yuqing followed the instructions and struck Lin Bai’s abdomen, then shifted an attack toward his thigh, which Lin Bai blocked with Five-Colored Divine Lightning.

Lin Bai used the Hundred Ghosts Parade sword technique to trap Liu Yuqing, but Liu Yuqing revealed that he had not been defeated and prepared to use his martial soul. The chapter ended as a colossal force shattered Lin Bai’s sword lights and exposed Liu Yuqing within them.

• Lin Bai noticed Liu Yuqing’s improved tactics and realized someone was warning him about Lin Bai’s deliberately exposed opening.
• Lin Bai renewed his attack, unleashing the Hundred Ghosts Parade and sealing off Liu Yuqing’s escape routes.
• Liu Yushan told Liu Yuqing to use his martial soul, and Liu Yuqing’s fear turned to confidence.
• Liu Yuqing’s laughter revealed that he had survived the sword attack, and a colossal force blasted apart the surrounding sword lights.

Liu Yuqing revealed his God-Rank Soul, Eight-Armed Yama, and overwhelmed Lin Bai with its power. Lin Bai remained on the arena and questioned who had permitted Liu Yuqing to unleash his soul, but Liu Yuqing prepared to knock him off.

• Liu Yuqing unleashed his Eight-Armed Yama soul, shocking Dragon Lord and the spectators with his eight weapons and Netherworld power.
• Liu Yuqing charged Lin Bai, who used his flying swords, Five-Colored Divine Lightning, and Demon Sword to defend himself but was driven toward the arena's edge.
• Liu Yuqing struck Lin Bai with the Emperor's Seal, sending him rolling to the edge of the arena, just one step from falling off.
• Lin Bai got back to his feet and taunted Liu Yuqing for failing to knock him off the arena.
• Lin Bai asked who had given Liu Yuqing permission to unleash his soul, and Liu Yuqing refused to answer before preparing to send him off the arena.

Lin Bai defeated Liu Yuqing with a sword strike that revealed his mastery of Great Dao to Simplicity and raised his Dao Resonance to two feet. After advancing to the top eight, he accused Liu Yushan of secretly guiding his brother and accepted his challenge with a taunt.

• Liu Yuqing charged Lin Bai with his eight divine weapons, but Lin Bai fused his nine artistic conceptions and Dao Resonance before striking with Slay the Immortals.
• Lin Bai’s strike shattered six of Liu Yuqing’s arms and sent him flying to the edge of the arena, while the Dragon Lord, Phoenix Lord, and Divine Capital Sword Saint recognized Great Dao to Simplicity.
• Dong Dian observed Lin Bai’s Dao Resonance rise to two feet, a level no martial artist had reached before entering the Dao Tower.
• Lin Bai questioned Liu Yuqing about who had guided him, then recognized Liu Yushan’s involvement when Liu Yushan confronted him.
• Lin Bai kicked Liu Yuqing off the Dragon Platform and told Liu Yushan to stop his underhanded interference.
• Liu Yushan challenged Lin Bai, who mocked his strength and walked off the arena after advancing to the top eight.

After Lin Bai defeated Liu Yuqing, the Crown Prince used his victory as an opportunity to bestow a marriage between Lin Bai and Shui Yunmeng. Shui Yunmeng blushed and looked toward Lin Bai as the Crown Prince asked whether she accepted.

• The eight quarterfinalists were announced, and spectators began to regard Lin Bai with awe after his victory over Liu Yuqing.
• The Seventeenth Prince recognized Lin Bai and grew more hostile as he recalled their past grudge.
• At Young Master Qian’s suggestion, the Crown Prince publicly proposed matching Lin Bai with Shui Yunmeng.
• Lin Bai explained to Liu En, Fu Tu, and Huang Jinyu how the marriage could win the Crown Prince favor with both him and the Iron Sword Marquis Estate.
• The Iron Sword Marquis said the decision depended on Shui Yunmeng’s wishes, and the Crown Prince asked her what she thought of the match.

The Crown Prince proposed that Shui Yunmeng marry Lin Bai and offered Lin Bai the rank of Great General, while the Seventeenth Prince tried to derail the arrangement. Shui Yunmeng made her agreement conditional on Lin Bai winning first place in the Dragon Platform martial competition, a condition the princes believed he could not meet, though Zhao Yue knew his true strength.

• The Crown Prince offered Lin Bai the position of Great General if Shui Yunmeng accepted his marriage proposal, putting pressure on her to decide.
• Zhao Yue urged the Seventeenth Prince to oppose the arrangement, warning that it would strengthen the Crown Prince and protect Lin Bai from revenge for the Poison God Family.
• The Seventeenth Prince and Crown Prince argued over whether Shui Yunmeng should decide immediately or wait, making their rivalry apparent to the silent assembly.
• Shui Yunmeng said she would accept the arrangement only if Lin Bai won first place in the Dragon Platform martial competition.
• The Crown Prince accepted her condition with displeasure, while the Seventeenth Prince confidently predicted Lin Bai would fail and Zhao Yue privately recalled that Lin Bai could defeat any of his upcoming opponents.

After Shui Yunmeng agreed to the Crown Prince’s bestowed marriage on the condition that Lin Bai won first place on Dragon Platform, Lin Bai resolved to claim the title despite fearing Bai Xiaoxiao’s reaction. The quarterfinal matchups were announced, leaving Lin Bai set to face Liu Yushan.

• Shui Yunmeng agreed to the bestowed marriage if Lin Bai won first place on Dragon Platform, and Lin Bai resolved to pursue the title.
• Xun Zhizang and Su Yanhua discussed whether Shui Yunmeng would become Lin Bai’s concubine, while the Seventh Young Master warned that the marriage could fuel the Crown Prince and Seventeenth Prince’s rivalry.
• Su Xianmei recalled that Li Subai had forced several of Lin Duo’s brothers to write marriage contracts for their children, including one betrothing her to Lin Bai.
• The Dragon Platform Elder announced the quarterfinal matchups, including Gongyang Hao versus Fu Tu and Lin Bai versus Liu Yushan.
• Liu Yushan glared viciously at Lin Bai, who remained calm and determined to win first place.

Fu Tu fought Gongyang Hao in the top-eight competition, testing his strength against Gongyang Hao’s famed defensive sword technique. Gongyang Hao endured Fu Tu’s Celestial Fall Fist with One Zhang Azure Lotus, and the chapter left them locked in a fierce battle.

• Fu Tu and Gongyang Hao entered the arena as their respective Dragon Court and Phoenix Pavilion supporters cheered them on.
• Lin Bai learned that Fu Tu was Dragon Lord’s adopted son and direct disciple.
• Gongyang Hao drew his sword and formed One Zhang Azure Lotus to defend against Fu Tu’s Celestial Fire Divine Dragon Body and Celestial Fall Fist.
• Gongyang Hao’s azure lotus withstood Fu Tu’s attack without leaving him injured, and Liu En told Lin Bai that he knew no way to break the technique.
• Fu Tu resumed his assault, and Gongyang Hao countered with a torrent of azure sword radiance, beginning a fierce exchange.

Gongyang Hao defeated Fu Tu after their prolonged duel, while Liu En and Qiu Yun won the next two bouts. Lin Bai then overwhelmed Liu Yushan with swordsmanship and struck as Liu Yushan tried to summon his martial soul.

• Gongyang Hao outlasted Fu Tu, who admitted defeat after exhausting his spiritual power.
• Liu En defeated Wen Su, and Qiu Yun knocked Huang Jinyu off the arena.
• Lin Bai and Liu Yushan began their match, and Liu Yushan dismissed Lin Bai's challenge to reveal his martial soul.
• Lin Bai's sword attacks overcame Liu Yushan's Subduing Heaven Palm and drove him to the edge of the arena.
• Liu Yushan tried to summon his martial soul, but Lin Bai attacked him before he could unleash it.

Lin Bai defeated Liu Yushan, advanced to the Dragon Platform final after Liu En lost to Gongyang Hao and Qiu Yun conceded, and faced Gongyang Hao. The chapter ended as Lin Bai and Gongyang Hao prepared to fight, each radiating their opposing powers.

• Lin Bai defeated Liu Yushan in a few moves, and Liu Yushan swore to avenge his humiliation.
• Lin Bai told Liu En that he planned to defeat Gongyang Hao by seizing an opening during their fight, rather than by knowing the flaw in his sword technique.
• Gongyang Hao defeated Liu En after several thousand moves and announced that he would await Lin Bai in the final.
• Qiu Yun conceded to Lin Bai, reasoning that he could not defeat Gongyang Hao and that fighting Lin Bai would only cost him face.
• The Crown Prince approved beginning the final immediately, and Lin Bai and Gongyang Hao took the arena.
• Gongyang Hao called Lin Bai his mortal foe, while Lin Bai said his true mortal foe, Ye Jianjun, was already dead; the two unleashed their powers as the battle began.

Lin Bai and Gongyang Hao fought to a standstill until Lin Bai unleashed the Five Elements Divine Lightning Manual, forcing Gongyang Hao to rely on his defensive sword technique and evasive movement. Lin Bai gathered the five divine lightning forces into the Demon Sword, preparing the thunder art’s most terrifying move.

• Lin Bai and Gongyang Hao exchanged hundreds of attacks, but Gongyang Hao’s One Zhang Azure Lotus defense stopped Lin Bai from breaking through.
• Lin Bai summoned the Five Elements Divine Lightning Manual, astonishing the spectators and drawing recognition from Dragon Lord, Phoenix Lord, Shui Yunmeng, and Iron Sword Marquis.
• Lin Bai unleashed Lightning Annihilation and then Three Thousand Lightning Annihilations, while Gongyang Hao dodged the bolts and used One Zhang Azure Lotus to block those he could not evade.
• Lin Bai raised the Demon Sword and drew a pillar of lightning from each of the five vortexes, combining the five divine lightning forces on the blade.
• The Divine Capital Sword Saint recognized the gathered lightning as the Five Elements thunder art’s most terrifying move.

Lin Bai’s Five Thunder Righteous Method shattered Gongyang Hao’s azure mountain defense, but Gongyang Hao emerged unharmed behind his azure lotus. Lin Bai then unleashed a relentless barrage of Purgatory Seventy-Two Kills, while Gongyang Hao continued to withstand the attacks and the spectators marveled at Lin Bai’s seemingly inexhaustible spiritual power.

• Lin Bai struck Gongyang Hao with the Five Thunder Righteous Method, breaking apart the Hundred Days Verdant Peak phantom and hitting his azure lotus.
• Gongyang Hao emerged from the dust without injury, and spectators praised his defense as a possible divine-grade technique.
• Lin Bai continued the fight by unleashing sword techniques from Purgatory Seventy-Two Kills in a relentless barrage.
• Gongyang Hao’s azure lotus absorbed and resisted Lin Bai’s attacks without allowing him to be wounded.
• Spectators marveled that Lin Bai’s spiritual power seemed nearly inexhaustible and possibly comparable to that of a Quasi-Dao Realm martial artist.