Chapter Summaries

Lin Bai joined Chen Yule, Huang Qingyun, and Yi Song in their battle against the giant beasts after dealing with the Sky-Covering Lizard. With Qian Hen's puppets and Shui Mo Dan's Ascension Immortal Pills supporting them, the four unleashed their full strength and began slaughtering the beasts, while Lin Bai rose to tenth place in the Chu State's Dao God Rankings.

• Lin Bai arrived to help Chen Yule, Huang Qingyun, and Yi Song, telling them he had already dealt with the Sky-Covering Lizard.
• Qian Hen sent fifteen humanoid puppets into the battle to restrain the giant beasts.
• Shui Mo Dan gave the group Ascension Immortal Pills that healed injuries and restored spiritual power for about a quarter of an hour.
• Lin Bai, Chen Yule, Huang Qingyun, and Yi Song took the pills and attacked the giant beasts with renewed strength.
• The four warriors killed giant beasts one after another as martial artists watched from the imperial capital.
• Lin Bai climbed the Divine Armory Pavilion rankings and reached tenth place on the Chu State's Dao God Rankings.

As Lin Bai hunted in the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds, his ranking soared from four hundred and ninety-ninth place to tenth, prompting Emperor Chu to call him the foremost swordsman among Chu Kingdom's younger generation. That praise delighted Tianshui Sect at first, but the Third Elder and Zheng Yuan feared the weight of the emperor's words would put Lin Bai in danger.

• Lin Bai's name climbed from four hundred and ninety-ninth place to tenth on the Chu Kingdom Dao God Rankings, astonishing the martial artists at Divine Armory Pavilion.
• Divine Armory Pavilion's person in charge confirmed that the stone stele's formation was intact and Lin Bai's ranking was genuine.
• Emperor Chu praised Chen Yule, assessed Yi Song's scattered learning, and acknowledged Huang Qingyun's strength while watching the hunt.
• Emperor Chu praised Lin Bai's tactics and swordsmanship, naming him a possible foremost swordsman among Chu Kingdom's younger generation.
• The Chen Family elders grew displeased, Heaven and Earth Gate elders showed killing intent, and the Third Prince regarded Lin Bai coldly.
• The Third Elder and Zheng Yuan realized that Emperor Chu's praise could place Lin Bai in danger.

Emperor Chu named Lin Bai the foremost sword cultivator among Chu’s youth, stirring hostility toward him and the Tianshui Sect. After Lin Bai and his companions killed all twenty-four giant beasts, they gathered their spoils, but new figures arrived from the northwest.

• Emperor Chu’s praise for Lin Bai angered the Chen Family, the Third Prince, and the Heaven and Earth Gate, while the Tianshui Sect’s elders accepted the danger as a chance for the sect to rise.
• Lin Bai, Chen Yule, Yi Song, and Huang Qingyun killed the last of the twenty-four giant beasts in the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds.
• Huang Qingyun explained that Yi Song’s wide-ranging studies made it difficult for him to choose the right techniques in battle, and Lin Bai advised him to learn through life-and-death crises.
• Shui Mo Dan gave the group healing pills, while Qian Hen arranged for Lin Bai to collect the beast blood and gathered the beasts’ bones.
• Chen Yule and the others concluded that the hunt was over, but Lin Bai noticed figures flying in from the northwest and landing on a nearby mountain.

After hunting the giant beasts, Lin Bai and his allies faced an attempt by rival Holy Sons to seize half the beasts’ bones. The sides clashed, and Lin Bai confronted Shangguan Tong as the battle began.

• Li Mo, Zhao Xiantu, Shangguan Tong, and Sun Miao arrived and found the giant beasts’ bones, while Qian Hen’s Eternal Creation Stone Milk revealed how the beasts had been lured.
• Zhao Xiantu demanded half the bones, but Chen Yule refused, and both groups prepared to fight despite Lin Bai’s warning about the consequences.
• Zhao Xiantu and Li Mo charged at Yi Song and Chen Yule, while Sun Miao attacked Huang Qingyun.
• Huang Qingyun struck Sun Miao with a palm and sent him flying, as Shangguan Tong challenged Lin Bai and Lin Bai mocked his boasts.

Lin Bai fought Shangguan Tong, the Holy Son of Wen Tian Sect, and overwhelmed him with a rapid series of sword attacks. As Shangguan Tong begged to speak while badly wounded, Lin Bai ignored him and struck again.

• The chapter explained how Wen Tian Sect rose to power after the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace was destroyed and described the rivalries among the Chu Kingdom's great forces.
• Shangguan Tong attacked Lin Bai, but Lin Bai dodged his palm and slashed his left shoulder.
• Lin Bai unleashed the Heaven's Will Four Symbols Sword Formation, breaking through Shangguan Tong's defenses and wounding him repeatedly.
• Lin Bai struck Shangguan Tong with a ten-thousand-foot sword ray, leaving him heavily wounded.
• Shangguan Tong asked Lin Bai to wait so he could speak, but Lin Bai refused and swung his sword at him again.

Lin Bai spared Shangguan Tong after learning that Heaven and Earth Gate disciples had trapped Tianshui Sect disciples inside a mountain, then flew southeast to rescue them. The elders watching the projection saw the besieged disciples’ formation nearing collapse as Lin Bai raced toward them.

• Lin Bai stopped his sword when Shangguan Tong threatened the Tianshui Sect disciples and revealed that Heaven and Earth Gate disciples were attacking them.
• Chen Yule assured Lin Bai he could handle Shangguan Tong and Li Mo, so Lin Bai kicked Shangguan Tong into a mountain and flew southeast.
• Qiao Mo, Qin Yao, Fang Yuanshu, Elder Liang, Meng Po, Ye Guqing, and Ye Guyu sheltered inside a mountain while Qin Yao struggled to maintain their formation against more than twenty Heaven and Earth Gate disciples.
• The Tianshui Sect elders watched anxiously as the formation weakened, while the Heaven and Earth Gate elders celebrated the attack and Emperor Chu remarked that Lin Bai was heading toward the battle.

Ke Ling and the Heaven and Earth Gate captured Qiao Mo, Qin Yao, and the other Tianshui Sect disciples, then prepared to execute them as the Chu Emperor and sect elders watched. Lin Bai arrived just as their lives were in danger.

• Ke Ling revealed that the Heaven and Earth Gate intended to destroy the Tianshui Sect and ordered his disciples to break through the formation surrounding the Tianshui Sect group.
• Qiao Mo, Qin Yao, Fang Yuanshu, Elder Liang, Meng Po, Ye Guqing, and Ye Guyu fought back, but the outnumbered and wounded group was captured.
• Ke Ling ordered the captives forced to their knees and declared that he would execute them before the projection formations.
• The Third Elder of the Tianshui Sect and Zheng Yuan protested as the Chu Emperor condemned Ke Ling's humiliation of the captives.
• The Chu Emperor announced that Lin Bai had arrived, and Lin Bai flew toward Qiao Mo, Qin Yao, and the others.

Lin Bai arrived just as Ke Ling and the Heaven and Earth Gate disciples were about to execute Qiao Mo, Qin Yao, and the other Tianshui Sect disciples. He protected them, then fought the Heaven and Earth Gate forces, leaving the battle underway as his slaughter began.

• Ke Ling ordered the Heaven and Earth Gate disciples to kill Qiao Mo, Qin Yao, and the other kneeling Tianshui Sect disciples.
• Lin Bai sent Sword Qi across the battlefield, shielded the Tianshui Sect disciples, and arrived on his flying sword.
• Lin Bai checked Qiao Mo and Qin Yao, then refused Ke Ling's demand to surrender and prepared to fight the Heaven and Earth Gate disciples.
• Lin Bai knocked back the first attackers and declared that none of the Heaven and Earth Gate disciples would leave alive.
• Lin Bai fought with his swords and weapons, killing five Heaven and Earth Gate disciples with his flying sword formation.

Lin Bai killed five Heaven and Earth Gate disciples, then faced eighteen more who formed the Eight Desolations Formation. He broke the formation with the Devouring Heaven Dao Method and attacked the gravely wounded disciples.

• Lin Bai destroyed the bodies and souls of five Heaven and Earth Gate disciples with a single sword strike.
• Ke Ling directed eighteen disciples in forming the Eight Desolations Formation while three others waited to attack.
• The formation empowered its members' attacks to Great Purity Dao Fruit Realm strength and trapped Lin Bai.
• Lin Bai revealed the Devouring Heaven Dao Method and shattered the formation with one sword strike.
• Lin Bai charged the wounded disciples, attacking them with his swords and the Heaven Measuring Ruler.

Lin Bai slaughtered the Heaven and Earth Gate disciples and drove Ke Ling to use a life-saving talisman to escape. He sent Qiao Mo, Qin Yao, and the others toward Chen Yule for protection, then pursued Ke Ling by tracking the Sword Qi he had left in his body.

• Lin Bai broke the Eight Desolations Formation and killed the eighteen disciples who had formed it.
• Lin Bai defeated Ke Ling and the three remaining disciples, killing all three as they tried to intervene.
• In the Eastern Sky Immortal Palace, the Heaven and Earth Gate elders threatened the Tianshui Sect, while the Third Elder and Zheng Yuan defended Lin Bai and the Chu Emperor watched without intervening.
• Lin Bai overwhelmed Ke Ling in close combat, but Ke Ling escaped with a jade talisman that teleported him away.
• Lin Bai gave Qiao Mo a flying sword and sent the group to Chen Yule, then used his Sword Qi to track Ke Ling and pursue him.

Lin Bai relentlessly pursued the badly wounded Ke Ling across the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds, catching up each time Ke Ling used a teleportation talisman. After Ke Ling exhausted his final talisman, he began transforming into a monstrous state as Lin Bai closed in again.

• Lin Bai defeated Ke Ling, who escaped with a teleportation jade talisman, and immediately sensed where he had gone.
• Lin Bai caught up with Ke Ling and struck the mountain range with Sword Qi, but Ke Ling teleported away again before the blow could hit him.
• Lin Bai pursued Ke Ling repeatedly as he used more talismans to flee, while witnesses watched Lin Bai cut through mountains and rivers across the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds.
• After nine escapes, Ke Ling used his final teleportation talisman and collapsed in a forest, gravely injured.
• As Lin Bai approached, Ke Ling began emitting black smoke and transforming into a beast-like creature.

Lin Bai fought Ke Ling after Ke Ling released the Earth Demon's remnant soul, while Emperor Chu learned that the Heaven and Earth Gate hoped the soul could revive through Ke Ling. As their battle remained even, Lin Bai used Dragon Blood Wine to unleash the Azure Lotus Sword Intent, though he had not fully mastered it.

• Lin Bai's sword strike was shattered when Ke Ling grabbed its Sword Qi and revealed the Earth Demon's power within him.
• Emperor Chu recognized the Earth Demon's remnant soul and recalled the Heaven and Earth Gate's efforts to find a host who could withstand it.
• Ke Ling attacked Lin Bai with speed and strength comparable to the Great Purity Dao Fruit Realm, though his power fluctuated.
• Lin Bai fought Ke Ling with the Azure Lotus Swordplay, but neither could defeat the other.
• Lin Bai drank Dragon Blood Wine and barely unleashed the Azure Lotus Sword Intent, the third stage of the Azure Lotus Swordplay.

Lin Bai used Dragon Blood Wine to awaken the Azure Lotus Sword Intent and defeated Ke Ling, destroying the Earth Demon's remnant soul within him. Ke Ling called Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Zhao Xiantu, and Sun Miao for help, and they broke away from their battle to reach him.

• Lin Bai explained how Dragon Blood Wine could temporarily awaken the Azure Lotus Sword Intent and how he had developed his Azure Lotus Swordplay.
• Lin Bai's Azure Lotus Sword Intent repelled Ke Ling and then cut him in half, destroying the Earth Demon's remnant soul within him.
• Ke Ling regained his reason but, gravely wounded, searched his Storage Bag for a way to escape.
• Ke Ling sent Voice Transmission Tokens calling Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Zhao Xiantu, and Sun Miao to save him.
• Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Zhao Xiantu, and Sun Miao left their battle with Chen Yule, Yi Song, and the others and hurried to Ke Ling.

After Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Zhao Xiantu, and Sun Miao rushed to aid Ke Ling, Chen Yule, Yi Song, and Huang Qingyun chose to help Lin Bai, while Qian Hen stayed behind. Their choices exposed the growing divide between the Third Prince's faction and those aligned with Prince Chen.

• Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Zhao Xiantu, and Sun Miao withdrew from the battle to answer Ke Ling's distress signal, and Qian Hen guessed that Lin Bai had nearly defeated him.
• Chen Yule decided to help Lin Bai despite the risk of involving his sect, and Yi Song followed him.
• Huang Qingyun joined them, explaining that Ke Ling and his rescuers belonged to the Third Prince's faction and that she wanted to make things difficult for him.
• Qian Hen watched the departures and remarked that they were openly choosing sides.
• Inside the Eastern Sky Immortal Palace, the gathered forces recognized that five major lineages backed the Third Prince while the Chen Family, Celestial Immortal Sect, and Sacred Lotus Palace had sent their Holy Sons to aid Lin Bai, clarifying the court's emerging divisions.

Lin Bai was about to kill the gravely wounded Ke Ling when Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Sun Miao, and Zhao Xiantu arrived to save him. The two groups prepared to fight, but Emperor Chu ended the hunt and ordered everyone removed from the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds.

• Lin Bai was about to strike down Ke Ling when Shangguan Tong, Li Mo, Sun Miao, and Zhao Xiantu intervened and rescued him.
• Shangguan Tong asked Lin Bai to spare Ke Ling, but Lin Bai refused, and Li Mo and Zhao Xiantu challenged him.
• Chen Yule joined Lin Bai and confronted Li Mo, while Yi Song, Huang Qingyun, Shui Mo Dan, and Qian Hen arrived as well.
• Lin Bai and his allies faced Shangguan Tong and the others as both sides prepared to fight.
• Emperor Chu ordered the hunt to end, and the Formation Daoists activated the formation to remove every martial artist from the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds.

The hunt ended, and the Heaven and Earth Gate elders tried to kill Lin Bai over the deaths of their disciples. Emperor Chu intervened, rebuked the elders, and dismissed everyone, leaving the Heaven and Earth Gate’s standing with him in doubt.

• Emperor Chu ended the hunt, and Lin Bai and the other participants were teleported out of the Eastern Sky Hunting Grounds.
• The Heaven and Earth Gate elders learned that Lin Bai had killed their disciples and attacked him, while Zheng Yuan, the Third Elder, and allies from the Chen Family, Sacred Lotus Palace, and Celestial Immortal Sect defended him.
• Prince Chen rushed to Lin Bai’s side, and Emperor Chu’s voice severely wounded the seven Heaven and Earth Gate elders.
• Emperor Chu dismissed the Heaven and Earth Gate’s appeal for punishment, saying the hunt carried risks that participants had to accept.
• Emperor Chu declared the hunt over again and departed in his dragon carriage.

After Lin Bai and Tianshui Sect survived the Heaven and Earth Gate’s attack, allies made clear they had intervened at the request of their young leaders, while Prince Chen’s actions protected the sect’s disciples. Lin Bai recovered in the imperial capital, and the chapter ended with Tianshui Sect agreeing to wait there while he collected the promised rewards for the hunt.

• The elders of the Heaven and Earth Gate left the Eastern Sky Immortal Palace with the badly injured Ke Ling, and Tianshui Sect thanked the factions that had helped them.
• Chen Yule, Huang Qingyun, and Yi Song warned Lin Bai that the Heaven and Earth Gate might seek revenge, while Lin Bai and the others recognized that Prince Chen had risked himself to protect Tianshui Sect.
• Lin Bai left the hunting grounds with Tianshui Sect and noticed Di Wuyan carrying a bulging Beast-Taming Pouch; after the victory banquet, he rested for several days.
• Bai Yifei and Zhou Xinjin learned that Lin Bai and Chen Yule had killed twenty or thirty giant beasts and that Lin Bai had earned recognition, leaving Bai Yifei furious.
• Five days later, Lin Bai told the elders he could not yet leave the imperial capital, and Zheng Yuan and the Third Elder agreed to wait while the Celestial Mystery Pavilion prepared his promised reward.

Emperor Chu summoned Yi Gu to the palace, where their familiarity revealed that Yi Gu had known him since childhood and came from a family burdened by its future. Emperor Chu then rejected Lin Bai as a possible husband for Yi Gu’s sisters, insisting that Lin Bai had to remain in the Chu Kingdom.

• Bai Yifei led Zhou Xinjin and the others away from the imperial capital after clashing with Third Elder and Zheng Yuan over their plans.
• A palace eunuch arrived at the Tianshui Sect residence with Emperor Chu’s summons for Yi Gu, surprising everyone.
• Yi Gu declined Lin Bai’s offer of protection and went to the palace alone.
• Emperor Chu greeted Yi Gu as an old acquaintance, recalling that he had held him as a child and asking about his parents.
• Yi Gu proposed finding powerful live-in sons-in-law for his older sisters, and Emperor Chu said Lin Bai was not an option because he had to remain in the Chu Kingdom.

Yi Gu asked Emperor Chu why he had backed the Third Prince and later brought Prince Chen back to challenge him, and Emperor Chu explained that neither the First Prince nor the Second Prince had been fit to rule. Emperor Chu wanted to choose between the Third Prince and Prince Chen soon so he could retreat into seclusion, while Yi Gu returned to Tianshui Sect without revealing the full conversation.

• Yi Gu urged Emperor Chu to let Lin Bai leave Chu with him, warning that Lin Bai would suffer if Prince Chen lost.
• Yi Gu questioned Emperor Chu about the deaths of the First Prince and Second Prince and his support for Prince Chen.
• Emperor Chu explained that the First Prince cared only for cultivation and the Second Prince was too weak to rule, and said the imperial path required blood and bones.
• Emperor Chu said his approaching ten-thousandth birthday made him eager to choose between the Third Prince and Prince Chen as Crown Prince so he could focus on breaking through.
• Emperor Chu offered Yi Gu a palace to stay in and the Zhao Xing Office's help, but Yi Gu chose to return to Tianshui Sect.
• The Third Elder and Zheng Yuan pressed Yi Gu for details, but he dodged their questions and blamed Lin Bai for drawing Emperor Chu's interest.

Lin Bai visited the Celestial Mystery Pavilion with Chen Yule and learned it was a Great Luo Divine Weapon filled with dangerous formations. There, more than fifty eccentric experts offered Lin Bai and the other five Sacred Sons three requests each in exchange for the benefits they had received.

• Three days after Yi Gu returned, Qian family servants brought Lin Bai to the Celestial Mystery Pavilion.
• Lin Bai crossed the pavilion’s threshold and was transported through a misty world before meeting Chen Yule in a corridor.
• Chen Yule explained that the pavilion had been refined into a Great Luo Divine Weapon and was full of traps and formations.
• Lin Bai joined Qian Hen, Yi Song, Huang Qingyun, Shui Mo Dan, Chen Yule, and more than fifty experts to discuss rewards for the giant beasts they had hunted.
• An old expert offered each of the six Sacred Sons three requests, but Yi Song questioned whether the experts might refuse unfairly and drew their angry scolding.