Chapter Summaries

Lin Bai correctly identified the ancient zither’s materials as Sacred Blood Wood and Ninefold Silkworm Silk, winning Hong Su’s invitation after Long Jianxiao tried to force his incorrect answer. He explained the materials’ origins and value, but Long Jianxiao grew enraged and charged toward Lin Bai’s private room.

• Long Jianxiao and his companions accused Hong Su of changing the answer and demanded that she spend the night with him.
• Lin Bai answered from his private room that the zither was made from Sacred Blood Wood and Ninefold Silkworm Silk, and Hong Su declared him the winner.
• At Long Jianxiao’s challenge, Lin Bai explained the materials’ origins and estimated the zither’s value at nearly three billion spirit stones.
• Hong Su praised Lin Bai’s knowledge, accepted his agreement to meet her, and invited him to her room.
• Long Jianxiao tracked Lin Bai’s location by his voice and stormed toward his private room.

Li Jianxing and Sun Qian defeated Long Jianxiao, Qian Yun, and Wanyan Xuan after the three attacked them at Fengyue Brothel, prompting Long Fei to arrive with a thousand soldiers. Chu Jiangliu confronted Long Fei and hinted that a powerful guest was with him, leaving Long Fei frightened and asking whether that person was there too.

• Long Jianxiao, Qian Yun, and Wanyan Xuan charged at Li Jianxing and Sun Qian, who defeated them with their swordsmanship and threw them from the second floor.
• Long Jianxiao threatened to summon his elder brother, Long Fei, and Li Jianxing and Sun Qian revealed that they were also Commandants of the Imperial Guards.
• Long Fei arrived at Fengyue Brothel with roughly a thousand soldiers and demanded to know who had attacked Long Jianxiao.
• Chu Jiangliu came out of the private room, and Long Fei recognized him as King Chu.
• Long Fei threatened to tell Chu Jiangliu's father that he had visited Fengyue Brothel, but Chu Jiangliu warned that he had not come alone.
• Long Fei realized who might be accompanying Chu Jiangliu and asked whether that person was there too.

Long Fei discovered that Lin Bai, the Iron-Blooded Sword King, was in Fengyue Brothel and feared the consequences of Long Jianxiao's behavior. Lin Bai spared Long Jianxiao and ordered Long Fei to send him to the army for ten years of training.

• Chu Jiangliu taunted Long Fei by hinting that a person Long Fei feared was in the private room.
• Long Jianxiao ordered the Long Family Army to capture the martial artists who had injured him, but a cold voice stopped them.
• Lin Bai emerged from the private room, and Long Fei and the soldiers recognized him as the Iron-Blooded Sword King and knelt in respect.
• Long Fei struck Long Jianxiao and begged Lin Bai to forgive his brother for offending him.
• Lin Bai ordered Long Fei to send Long Jianxiao to the military camp for training, and Long Fei agreed before leading his group away.

At the imperial banquet, the Grand Princess learned that Lin Bai had gone with King Chu to Fengyue Brothel and mobilized one million Imperial Guards to retrieve him. Lin Bai met the renowned Hong Su there, whose identity he remained curious about, as she received him in her private room.

• The Grand Princess learned that King Chu had taken Lin Bai to Fengyue Brothel and ordered Dan Fang to gather one million Imperial Guards.
• Lin Bai’s presence at Fengyue Brothel stunned the patrons, and the madam arranged for him to meet Hong Su.
• Hong Su greeted Lin Bai and went to her room, while he told Chu Jiangliu he wanted to learn why she stayed at the pleasure house.
• The madam led Lin Bai to Hong Su’s chamber and left them alone.
• Lin Bai saw Hong Su’s gentle beauty as she sat waiting in her room.

Lin Bai confessed to Hong Su that he felt ashamed of abducting Consort Yun to force the Great Moon Kingdom to withdraw from war, but her reassurance eased his guilt. Hong Su invited him to join Heavenly Sound Academy at Divine Relic Ridge, leaving him to weigh her offer against an earlier invitation from Hatchling Dragon Academy.

• Lin Bai told Hong Su that he regretted abducting Consort Yun to protect the Divine Martial Nation, and Hong Su argued that he had acted heroically to save his people.
• Hong Su played a tune on her Grade Nine Spirit Tool zither and asked Lin Bai about his plans for cultivation.
• Hong Su revealed that she was a disciple of Heavenly Sound Academy and gave Lin Bai a golden invitation to Divine Relic Ridge.
• Hong Su said Duan Canghai had been invited by another academy and praised Lin Bai's potential as possibly greater than his.
• Lin Bai showed Hong Su the silver invitation from Hatchling Dragon Academy, and she asked him to choose between the two academies.
• Lin Bai asked what benefits Heavenly Sound Academy would offer, and Hong Su promised him whatever cultivation resources he wanted.

Lin Bai was caught in Fengyue Brothel when the Grand Princess arrived with a million soldiers, while Chu Jiangliu and the others were taken away for punishment. At the Grand Princess's Residence, she brought Lin Bai to her bedroom and showed him unexpected tenderness.

• Chu Jiangliu learned that the Grand Princess had surrounded Fengyue Brothel and rushed to flee with Li Jianxing and Sun Qian.
• Lin Bai refused to run, and the Grand Princess's soldiers blocked the exits and surrounded everyone inside.
• Hong Su called to Lin Bai about their agreement, angering the Grand Princess, who ordered her soldiers to bind Lin Bai.
• The Grand Princess sent Chu Jiangliu back to the Chu King Manor for punishment and sent Li Jianxing, Sun Qian, and Wang Hao to the North Wind Marquis's residence.
• The Grand Princess took Lin Bai to her bedroom, dismissed her maids, and drew him close as tenderness appeared in her eyes.

The morning after spending the night with the Grand Princess, Lin Bai discussed Miss Hong Su’s invitation to Divine Relic Ridge and questioned why its Nine Academies were recruiting geniuses so aggressively. The Grand Princess warned him that few who traveled there returned, leaving Lin Bai to consider his choice carefully.

• Lin Bai woke beside the Grand Princess and reflected on her age and the pursuit of eternal life through martial cultivation.
• The Grand Princess told Lin Bai he was free to go wherever he wanted, while privately warning herself not to let him visit the brothel woman.
• Lin Bai explained that Miss Hong Su was a disciple of Heavenly Sound Academy who had come to invite him to Divine Relic Ridge.
• Lin Bai told the Grand Princess that Diao Cheng of Hatchling Dragon Academy had also invited him to Divine Relic Ridge.
• Lin Bai questioned why the Nine Academies were competing to recruit geniuses, and the Grand Princess warned him that few martial artists who went to Divine Relic Ridge ever returned.

Lin Bai left the Imperial Capital with Ji Bei to return to the Spirit Sword Sect for the Core Disciple assessment, after bidding farewell to the Grand Princess. He learned how the assessment worked and prepared to face Su Cang, who was expected to have reached the mid-stage of the Half-Step Divine Core Realm.

• Ji Bei reminded Lin Bai that the Core Disciple assessment was approaching and arranged to meet him at the eastern city gate the next morning.
• The Grand Princess told Lin Bai she had sent spies to search for his parents and revealed that the Ninth Princess had gone to the Heaven Sword Dynasty.
• Lin Bai and Ji Bei departed for the Spirit Sword Sect after Lin Bai said goodbye to the Grand Princess.
• Ji Bei explained that candidates had to pass the nine-level Martial God Pagoda before using Pass Tokens to determine the nine Core Disciples and their rankings.
• Ji Bei warned Lin Bai that Su Cang would likely have reached the mid-stage of the Half-Step Divine Core Realm, but Lin Bai said he was ready to fight him.

Lin Bai returned to the Spirit Sword Sect ahead of the core martial artist assessment and learned about his potential rivals. After resolving to protect Lu Yuan and challenge for a core position, he learned that Su Cang had reached the middle stage of the Half-Step Divine Core Realm.

• Ji Bei described the nine core martial artists and the Inner Sanctum Top 100, including Lu Yuan's recovery after losing an arm.
• Lin Bai vowed to protect Lu Yuan during the assessment and declared that he would become a core martial artist.
• Lin Bai returned to the Spirit Sword Sect and learned that the assessment would begin the next day at the Martial God Pagoda.
• Lin Bai told Ling Tianzi he was determined to become a core martial artist, and Ling Tianzi warned him that Su Cang had just reached the middle stage of the Half-Step Divine Core Realm.
• Lin Bai asked about his Third Senior Brother, and Ling Tianzi said he was finishing a task in the Great Moon Kingdom and that the truth would soon surface.

Lin Bai studied the incomplete Overlord Dragon Fist overnight, then headed to the Martial God Pagoda for the Core Disciple assessment. As onlookers mocked his Sword King title, he stayed calm, and the Divine Alliance arrived.

• Lin Bai memorized and began cultivating the incomplete Overlord Dragon Fist, making some progress by morning but deciding it did not suit his light, agile sword style.
• Li Jianxing, Lu Yuan, Wang Hao, and Sun Qian met Lin Bai, and the group set out for the Martial God Pagoda.
• Ling Tianzi watched Lin Bai depart, hoping to see what would happen at the assessment.
• At the crowded Martial God Pagoda, spectators mocked Lin Bai for bearing the title of Sword King despite his standing as an Inner Disciple.
• Sun Qian defended Lin Bai's feats during the national war, while Lin Bai said time would show whether he deserved the title.
• The Divine Alliance arrived, drawing exclamations from the crowd.

Su Cang led the Divine Alliance to the Martial God Pagoda and confronted Lin Bai over Qi Yang’s death. Lin Bai and Su Cang drew their Grade Six Spirit Tools and began fighting, with Lin Bai revealing a second sword.

• Su Cang arrived with more than twenty Divine Alliance warriors, including the eight Core Warriors and top-ranked Inner Sanctum disciples, and the crowd hailed them.
• Su Cang asked where Qi Yang was, and Lin Bai said he had killed him, drawing disbelief from the gathered warriors.
• Su Cang threatened Lin Bai and repeatedly called him trash, while Lin Bai warned he would kill Su Cang if he said it again.
• Lin Bai drew the Azure Song Sword and attacked Su Cang, who countered with his own Grade Six Spirit Tool.
• Lin Bai pulled the Startling Dream Sword from his Storage Bag and sent two waves of Sword Qi toward Su Cang.

Lin Bai defeated Su Cang in a brief clash and slapped him, invoking their old agreement that let him strike Su Cang three times if he placed in the Year-End Ceremony. Su Cang and the Divine Alliance's experts swore revenge, leaving the Divine Alliance at war with Lin Bai and the Sword Alliance.

• Lin Bai knocked Su Cang back with his Overlord Dragon Fist and slapped him across the face.
• When the Divine Alliance's fighters tried to attack Lin Bai, the Second Elder, Ji Bei, and Ji Bai restrained everyone with their power.
• Lin Bai reminded Su Cang that he had promised three slaps if Lin Bai earned a top-three placement at the Year-End Ceremony, and pointed out that he had taken first place.
• Lin Bai said only one slap had landed and he would deliver the remaining two whenever he pleased, enraging Su Cang.
• Su Cang, eight core martial artists, and eight top-ranked Inner Sanctum fighters threatened to kill Lin Bai, and the crowd recognized the Divine Alliance had declared war on him and the Sword Alliance.

Lin Bai accepted the Divine Alliance’s challenge, prompting the Sword Alliance to revive its Sword Oath and unite behind him. After the display of sword might ended, Lin Bai concluded that his strength matched Su Cang’s and prepared to watch for his hidden techniques and trump cards.

• Lin Bai accepted the challenge from Su Cang, nine core martial artists, and the top ten Inner Sanctum rankers, declaring he would face them all with one sword.
• Lin Bai and the Sword Alliance drew their swords and shouted their oath, “Test the Sword Against the World,” as their combined sword might overwhelmed the arena.
• The Second Elder, Ji Bei, Ji Bai, and loyal Elders joined the Sword Alliance’s oath, while Ye Mobei recognized that the Sword Alliance had returned.
• The Second Elder ordered everyone to sheathe their swords, and the gathered sword might dispersed.
• Lin Bai told Li Jianxing and Lu Yuan that he had tested Su Cang’s strength and believed he could defeat him, though he still needed to account for Su Cang’s trump cards.

The Core Disciple assessment rules and rewards were announced as the Sword Alliance and Divine Alliance prepared to compete. The Divine Alliance replaced the Martial God Pagoda’s guards with its own elders, and Su Cang threatened to cripple Lin Bai if he entered.

• The Grand Elder explained the Core Disciple rewards and the two stages of the assessment, in which disciples needed Pass Tokens from the Martial God Pagoda and combat platform battles.
• Su Cang collected his assessment token first, then Lin Bai and Lu Yuan collected theirs despite the Grand Elder wishing Lin Bai dead.
• The Grand Elder announced that the elders guarding the pagoda would be the Eleventh through Nineteenth Elders, all aligned with the Divine Alliance, instead of the elders originally chosen.
• The Second Elder protested the change, and Su Cang told Lin Bai that the Divine Alliance guards would make it difficult for him to earn a Pass Token and threatened to cripple him.

The Grand Elder and Su Cang stacked the Martial God Pagoda assessment with Divine Alliance elders, who let every Divine Alliance candidate pass in nine breaths, provoking outrage and forfeits. Lu Yuan resolved to enter despite the danger, believing the Divine Alliance’s blatant manipulation could give the Sword Alliance a chance to regain the sect’s trust.

• The Grand Elder began the assessment despite the crowd’s accusations of a hidden agenda, and Su Cang threatened to send anyone who kept shouting to the death prison.
• Su Cang and the other Divine Alliance candidates cleared the Martial God Pagoda in nine breaths each, convincing onlookers that the elders were letting them pass.
• Several unaffiliated disciples forfeited and threw down their tokens in protest.
• The Second Elder told Lin Bai and Lu Yuan that the Grand Elder had replaced the neutral elders with Divine Alliance loyalists, and urged them not to enter.
• Lu Yuan decided to face the assessment to win support for the Sword Alliance, while Lin Bai watched the Divine Alliance with killing intent.

Lu Yuan entered the Martial God Pagoda to resist the Divine Alliance’s rigged assessment, despite knowing the danger. The Twentieth Elder brutally crippled him, leaving Lin Bai consumed by killing intent.

• The Second Elder reluctantly let Lu Yuan enter the Martial God Pagoda, believing the Sword Alliance had to show it would not surrender.
• Lu Yuan walked into the pagoda as the Sword Alliance and the other martial artists cheered him on.
• The pagoda’s light revealed Lu Yuan fighting the Twentieth Elder, exposing the unequal treatment of Sword Alliance disciples.
• The Twentieth Elder broke Lu Yuan’s arm and legs, destroyed his dantian, and left him unable to stand.
• The Second Elder wept bloody tears as Lin Bai watched, his killing intent surging.

After Lu Yuan was crippled in the Martial God Pagoda, the Second Elder and the Sword Alliance mourned his defeat as neutral warriors rallied to their cause. Lin Bai walked toward the pagoda despite their pleas and stopped to ask whether people could be killed during the core warrior assessment.

• The Twentieth Elder returned Lu Yuan to the Sword Alliance alive but grievously injured, and the Second Elder roared in fury.
• The Second Elder and Sword Alliance warriors treated Lu Yuan while Su Cang and the Grand Elder mocked them; Lu Yuan had shattered bones and meridians and a crippled dantian.
• Moved by Lu Yuan's injuries, neutral warriors declared they would join the Sword Alliance, while Divine Alliance supporters began questioning the tournament.
• Lin Bai examined Lu Yuan, promised to handle what came next, and headed toward the Martial God Pagoda despite the Sword Alliance's desperate pleas.
• The Second Elder ordered Lin Bai to return, and Lin Bai stopped and asked whether people could be killed during the core warrior assessment.

Lin Bai entered the Martial God Pagoda after Su Cang said he could kill its elders, then defeated and savagely crippled the Twentieth Elder. He dragged the bloodied elder to the entrance and threw him before Su Cang and the Grand Elder, leaving him barely alive.

• Lin Bai asked the Second Elder whether he could kill people during the assessment, and Su Cang challenged him to try killing an elder.
• Lin Bai entered the Martial God Pagoda and attacked the Twentieth Elder, injuring him with a sword strike.
• Lin Bai blinded and beat the Twentieth Elder, then shattered his limbs and dantian and battered him with a succession of techniques.
• The Sword Alliance martial artists watched Lin Bai defeat the Twentieth Elder and cheered, while the Second Elder, Ji Bei, and Ji Bai reacted with excitement.
• Lin Bai dragged the Twentieth Elder to the pagoda entrance, told Su Cang and the Grand Elder he had left the elder a breath of life, and threw him before them.

Lin Bai defeated the Nineteenth Elder on the Martial God Pagoda’s second floor and crippled him, continuing his challenge to become a core martial artist. As the Sword Alliance celebrated, he headed for the third floor.

• Lin Bai took the first-floor pass token and entered the second floor, where the Nineteenth Elder challenged him to a fight.
• The Nineteenth Elder attacked with Mountain Shattering Fist, but Lin Bai met his punch with Overlord Dragon Fist and broke his arm, sending him flying.
• The Nineteenth Elder begged for mercy, and Lin Bai spared his life but shattered his dantian and threw him from the second-floor window.
• The Sword Alliance disciples cheered Lin Bai, and the Second Elder urged him to keep climbing as he approached the third floor.

Lin Bai killed the Eighteenth Elder on the third level of the Martial God Pagoda after he refused to beg for mercy. Outside, the Sword Alliance and the disciples confronted the Divine Alliance, while Lin Bai obeyed the Second Elder’s warning and continued to the fourth level.

• The Eighteenth Elder attacked Lin Bai with his Black Fiend Wind God Palm, but Lin Bai split the black gale and wounded him with the Azure Song Sword.
• The Eighteenth Elder taunted Lin Bai and threatened revenge, then begged for mercy when Lin Bai struck at his throat; Lin Bai killed him and threw his corpse from the pagoda.
• Su Cang ordered the Grand Elder and the Divine Alliance to seize Lin Bai, but nearly three thousand inner and outer disciples blocked their way.
• The Second Elder led the Sword Alliance in drawing their swords and declaring their oath, forcing the Grand Elder and the Divine Alliance to retreat.
• The Second Elder told Lin Bai not to kill anyone else, and Lin Bai obeyed before proceeding to the fourth level.