Chapter Summaries

Lin Bai survived Bu Junfeng’s attack and used an illusion, the Five Elements Extremity, and a clone to fight him inside the Crimson Lotus Sword Domain. As both fighters’ empowered states began to fade, Lin Bai realized the victor would be decided within a few more moves.

• Lin Bai reappeared unharmed after everyone thought his body had been destroyed, then trapped Bu Junfeng in a layered illusion.
• Bu Junfeng used his Celestial Bone to break the illusion, while Lin Bai activated the Five Elements Extremity and created a matching clone with the Nine Yuan Devil God Art.
• Lin Bai and his clone attacked Bu Junfeng together, switching weapons to obscure which was the original and coordinate their strikes.
• Bu Junfeng defended with his Baleful Intent and fought back, but Lin Bai’s Overlord Sword Dao split the protective aura without injuring him.
• After hundreds of exchanges, Lin Bai sensed that Bu Junfeng’s blood-fiend aura and his own clone were nearing their limits, leaving only a few moves to decide the fight.

Lin Bai and Bu Junfeng pushed their evenly matched fight to a final gamble, as Bu Junfeng unleashed the Extinction Blade and Lin Bai relied on confusion between his main body and clone rather than reveal his Devouring Power. The experts stopped the attack and both sides waited to learn whether the Lin Bai on the right was real, since that would decide the contest.

• Bu Junfeng realized Divine Refinement of All Living Things was corroding his spirit and gathered his remaining power into the Extinction Blade.
• Lin Bai refused to use Devouring Power and rapidly switched places and weapons with his clone to confuse Bu Junfeng.
• Lin Bai and his clone split in opposite directions, and Bu Junfeng gambled that the Lin Bai on the right was the main body and struck him with the Extinction Blade.
• Old Wen, He Gongji, Prince Liang, and other Chu State and Nine Underworlds Demon Palace experts appeared to deflect Bu Junfeng's strike and protect Lin Bai on the right.
• Prince Liang explained that the contest now depended on whether the protected Lin Bai was the main body or clone, and Bu Junfeng asked Lin Bai to reveal the truth, promising to concede if it was the clone.

Lin Bai defeated Bu Junfeng by exposing the clone Bu Junfeng had mistaken for his true body, securing the Eastern Region’s victory in the five contests. He returned to Eternal Night Pass to a triumphant welcome and warned the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace to stay alert until the Northern Region actually withdrew its troops.

• Lin Bai’s clone vanished, and the Heaven Measuring Ruler flew to the true Lin Bai, confirming Bu Junfeng had struck the wrong target.
• Bu Junfeng admitted defeat, and the Three Great Ancient Powers declared the Eastern Region the winner and required the Northern Region to withdraw and refrain from invading for ten thousand years.
• Tang Xiong confirmed that the Northern Region’s four Flourishing Sects had no objections, and Prince Liang invited He Gongji, Prince Qin, Wang Zhengyang, Qi Lingyu, and others to a celebration banquet at Horizon Pass.
• Lin Bai and the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace party left Heaven Sword Peak and returned to Eternal Night Pass, where the disciples welcomed them in triumph.
• Lin Bai told He Gongji to keep the disciples vigilant until the Northern Region’s forces had actually withdrawn.

After recovering from his battle with Bu Junfeng, Lin Bai discussed the Northern Region’s likely response to its defeat and the coming contest for the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace’s Imperial Son. Li Guxian warned that the First God Child might not give up, since the Imperial Son Battle could be delayed until Shi Renshan believed he had a chance.

• He Gongji arranged for Lin Bai to rest while Eternal Night Pass celebrated his victory over Bu Junfeng and the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace’s return to prominence.
• After two days of recovery, Lin Bai asked Li Guxian whether the Northern Region would withdraw its troops; she explained that its four flourishing forces might withdraw openly while secretly supporting other Northern Region fighters.
• Lin Bai urged Li Guxian to work with He Gongji and the three ancient forces’ envoys to pressure the Northern Region into withdrawing within two or three months.
• The Second God Child, Third God Child, and Li Guxian said they would surrender to Lin Bai in the Imperial Son Battle, while the Third God Child expected Lu Yunzhe might do the same.
• Li Guxian predicted that the First God Child would keep pursuing the Imperial Son position because the battle could be postponed until Shi Renshan judged him capable of competing with Lin Bai.

A Great Mystic Art User from the Flying Sword Immortal Sect confronted Lin Bai over his use of the sect’s orthodox flying-sword inheritance. After examining Lin Bai’s five swords, the visitor recognized something in the Dragon Eye Flying Sword and reacted with shock, leaving Lin Bai to wonder what Ling Tianzi had hidden inside it.

• A mysterious voice pulled Lin Bai, Old Wen, the Second God Child, the Third God Child, Dao Child Yu You, Goddess Li Guxian, and the others from Eternal Night Pass to a mountain peak in the Devil Realm Eastern Region.
• A white-robed Great Mystic Art User appeared amid seven flying swords and demanded to know where Lin Bai had learned the Flying Sword Immortal Sect’s Dao Tradition.
• Lin Bai said a mysterious master had taught him the art of flying swords but refused to reveal the master’s identity.
• The Great Mystic Art User examined Lin Bai’s five flying swords, focusing on the Dragon Eye Flying Sword.
• After sensing the Dragon Eye Flying Sword, the Great Mystic Art User exclaimed, “It is him!” and returned all five swords to Lin Bai.
• Lin Bai suspected that Ling Tianzi had left a hidden means in the Dragon Eye Flying Sword, while the Great Mystic Art User remained visibly astonished.

A Great Mystic Art User from the Flying Sword Immortal Sect recognized Lin Bai’s Dragon Eye Flying Sword and treated him with respect because of his connection to Ling Tianzi, while a Black-Robed Man warned him not to harm Lin Bai. Back at Eternal Night Pass, Lin Bai joined a council discussing Prince Liang’s victory banquet, where the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace debated how firmly to confront Chu and the other Eastern Region sects.

• The Great Mystic Art User from the Flying Sword Immortal Sect recognized Lin Bai’s Flying Sword Technique as connected to Ling Tianzi, promised the sect would treat him courteously, and departed after warning that the Devil Realm’s troubles remained unresolved.
• A Black-Robed Man met the Great Mystic Art User and warned him not to hurt Lin Bai, while revealing that Ling Tianzi’s sword-path successor might be either Lin Bai or a Zhao family descendant.
• He Gongji escorted Lin Bai back to Eternal Night Pass, where Lin Bai recounted the meeting and He Gongji planned to report it to the Palace Master.
• He Gongji convened Lin Bai, Shi Renshan, and the others to discuss Prince Liang’s victory banquet and the likelihood that Chu would use it to confront the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace.
• The First God Child and Shi Renshan called for fighting Chu if necessary, while Li Guxian urged a firm but measured stance toward Chu, Qi Tian Sect, and Ten Thousand Saints Mountain.

Lin Bai and the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace leaders discussed how to respond to Chu, the Qi Tian Sect, and Ten Thousand Saints Mountain, and Li Guxian proposed buying time through diplomacy and a show of resolve. As Li Guxian prepared to return to the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s territory, she told Lin Bai to answer “Half a year” if anyone at Chu’s banquet asked for a precise time.

• Lin Bai agreed with Li Guxian that the Demon Palace should show measured firmness rather than launch an all-out war.
• Li Guxian urged the Demon Palace to use the Northern Region’s continued military presence to keep Chu wary while presenting itself as a peaceful, transformed power at the celebration banquet.
• Li Guxian advised Lin Bai and He Gongji to stand firm if the other powers rejected them, making clear that the Demon Palace was prepared to fight.
• Lin Bai revealed that Wang Zhengyang had said Ten Thousand Saints Mountain supported his becoming the Demon Palace’s God Child because the palace’s resurgence seemed irreversible.
• Li Guxian concluded that Ten Thousand Saints Mountain’s support depended on the Demon Palace establishing firm foundations and decided to return to the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s territory.
• Li Guxian told Lin Bai to answer “Half a year” if anyone at the banquet asked him for a precise time.

Lin Bai and the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace attended the Chu Kingdom’s victory banquet at Horizon Pass, where Lin Bai explained the Chu military’s secret pills that could raise cultivation at the cost of permanently halting natural advancement. He concluded that the Chu Kingdom and Ten Thousand Saints Mountain were likely the Eastern Region’s most powerful flourishing forces.

• He Gongji led Lin Bai and the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace’s martial artists to Horizon Pass, where Prince Zhao welcomed them and escorted them to the banquet.
• Lin Bai and the others entered the waterside pavilion and took their seats alongside representatives of Ten Thousand Saints Mountain, Qi Tian Sect, and the Chu Kingdom.
• The Nine Underworlds Demon Palace’s martial artists watched the dancers, and the Second God Child noticed that they had reached the Great Purity Dao Fruit Realm.
• Lin Bai explained that the dancers’ cultivation might come from a Chu military pill that raised a martial artist’s realm but permanently prevented further advancement through cultivation.
• He Gongji recognized the pill’s potential to create a powerful army, while Lin Bai judged that the Chu Kingdom and Ten Thousand Saints Mountain could overwhelm the other flourishing forces.

At Chu’s banquet, Prince Liang invited the senior figures away to discuss matters, leaving Lin Bai, Crown Prince Chu Junyou, Wang Zhengyang, Qi Lingyu, and the other juniors alone in the water pavilion. Chu Junyou sealed the pavilion and encouraged the young leaders to indulge, then had attendants return to their sides as the private gathering began.

• Lin Bai exchanged greetings with Wang Zhengyang and Qi Lingyu as the Devil Palace delegation arrived at the banquet.
• Crown Prince Chu Junyou and Prince Liang arrived, and Chu Junyou had Dragon Blood Wine brought especially for Lin Bai.
• Prince Liang invited the senior figures from Chu, Ten Thousand Saints Mountain, Qi Tian Sect, and the Devil Palace to a side hall, leaving the juniors behind.
• Elder He Gongji and Elder Shi Renshan warned Lin Bai about the risks of the gathering before leaving to meet Prince Liang.
• Crown Prince Chu Junyou activated the water pavilion’s sound-blocking formation and urged the juniors to relax; Qi Lingyu and Wang Zhengyang accepted their attendants’ attention.
• Crown Prince Chu Junyou assured Lin Bai that the night’s events would remain secret, then had attendants return to the young leaders.

At the victory banquet, Lin Bai fielded questions from the Crown Prince, Qi Lingyu, and Wang Zhengyang about the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace’s plans. He said the Demon Palace intended to rebuild its sect, let go of its ancient grudges, and avoid conflict with the Eastern Region, leaving Wang Zhengyang to state Ten Thousand Saints Mountain’s conditions.

• The Crown Prince and other young guests relaxed at the banquet with wine and attendants, while Lin Bai wondered why the Crown Prince had not yet raised political matters.
• The Crown Prince asked whether Lin Bai was dissatisfied with the arrangements, then questioned whether the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace wanted the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s territory or the Devil Realm Eastern Region.
• Lin Bai said he could not speak for the Demon Palace but had heard that it mainly wanted to rebuild its sect and had no intention of pursuing the feud from a hundred thousand years ago.
• Qi Lingyu asked whether the Demon Palace would seek revenge after rebuilding, and Lin Bai said both he and the Demon Palace wanted to let bygones be bygones.
• Lin Bai explained that He Gongji and Li Guxian had instructed him to share the Demon Palace’s intentions, since it did not want the Eastern Region’s sects to turn against it.
• Wang Zhengyang said Ten Thousand Saints Mountain would accept the Demon Palace’s return if it left the ancient feud alone and did not try to dominate the Devil Realm Eastern Region.

At the victory banquet, Lin Bai recognized that the Chu Kingdom and Ten Thousand Saints Mountain wanted the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s territory stabilized but would not openly back the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace. After Lin Bai promised the territory would be stabilized within half a year, the Crown Prince pressed him for a fallback plan, and the First God Child blurted out that the Chu Kingdom could take over if the Demon Palace failed.

• Wang Zhengyang signaled that Ten Thousand Saints Mountain would not fight the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace to the bitter end, while Qi Lingyu remained isolated and drank in silence.
• The Crown Prince explained that the Chu Kingdom wanted the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s territory stabilized soon, but Lin Bai realized neither the Chu Kingdom nor Ten Thousand Saints Mountain had specified which force should rule it.
• Remembering Li Guxian’s instruction, Lin Bai declared that the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace would stabilize the territory within half a year and argued that it needed time to win the people’s acceptance.
• The Crown Prince repeatedly demanded to know what would happen if the Demon Palace failed, but Lin Bai evaded giving a definite fallback guarantee.
• The drunken First God Child shouted that the Chu Kingdom could recover the territory if the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace failed within half a year, and the Crown Prince immediately accepted the proposal.

At the Chu Empire's victory banquet, the First God Child Yan Congjiao drunkenly agreed that the Chu Empire could take over the Seven Nights Divine Sect's territory if the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace failed to secure it within half a year. The Crown Prince later explained his aims to Lin Bai, Wang Zhengyang, and Qi Lingyu in private, where Wang Zhengyang warned that the Chu Empire's actions could provoke a greater war.

• A maid flattered Yan Congjiao and mocked Lin Bai, prompting Yan Congjiao to announce that the Chu Empire could take the Seven Nights Divine Sect's territory if the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace failed to secure it within half a year.
• The Crown Prince immediately accepted Yan Congjiao's offer and declared the deadline and terms, leaving Lin Bai unable to retract the agreement.
• Lin Bai reprimanded Yan Congjiao, while the Second, Third, and Fifth God Children realized the danger of his outburst.
• The Crown Prince invited Lin Bai, Wang Zhengyang, and Qi Lingyu into an isolated pavilion and apologized for exploiting Yan Congjiao's inexperience.
• The Crown Prince admitted that the Chu Empire wanted access to the Seven Nights Divine Sect's resources, while Wang Zhengyang warned that the Chu Empire could control the territory through an agent.
• Wang Zhengyang told the Crown Prince that Ten Thousand Saints Mountain opposed the Chu Empire taking control of the territory and accused its actions of provoking a greater war.

Lin Bai, Wang Zhengyang, Qi Lingyu, and Chu Junyou negotiated the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace’s future and the fate of the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s territory. The three powers agreed to support the Demon Palace’s peaceful rebuilding for twenty thousand years, and Lin Bai urged them to choose the Demon Palace to rule the contested territory.

• Wang Zhengyang asked Lin Bai to guarantee that the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace would not start a large-scale war, and Lin Bai promised that neither he nor the current Palace Lord would do so.
• Qi Lingyu and Chu Junyou pledged to support Lin Bai becoming the Demon Palace’s future leader, while Qi Lingyu offered help against the First God Child and Lin Bai refused it.
• Lin Bai asked what the other powers would offer in return, and Wang Zhengyang promised that Ten Thousand Saints Mountain, Qi Tian Sect, and Chu would not act maliciously toward the Demon Palace or turn public opinion against it for twenty thousand years.
• Wang Zhengyang, Qi Lingyu, and Chu Junyou discussed restoring order in the former Seven Nights Divine Sect territory and choosing a power to rule it.
• Lin Bai urged the three leaders to choose the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace to govern the territory.

Lin Bai negotiated with Chu, Qi Tian Sect, and Ten Thousand Saints Mountain to give the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace half a year to stabilize the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s territory without outside interference. After the banquet, the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace returned safely to Eternal Night Pass, where Lin Bai and He Gongji prepared to exchange information.

• Lin Bai proposed that Chu, Qi Tian Sect, and Ten Thousand Saints Mountain stay out of the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s territory while the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace tried to stabilize it within half a year.
• Wang Zhengyang, Qi Lingyu, and the Crown Prince agreed to recognize the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace’s rule if it succeeded, and said their forces would intervene if it failed.
• Lin Bai considered the five challenges facing the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace, including resistance from surviving Seven Nights Divine Sect forces, rival sects, rebellious allies, and outside warriors.
• The Crown Prince said the Northern Region’s troops might take up to half a year to withdraw, while the three ancient forces remained at the border to uphold the competition’s results.
• The banquet ended after the leaders concluded their negotiations, and the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace left Horizon Pass and returned safely to Eternal Night Pass.
• He Gongji asked Lin Bai to exchange the information they had gathered, and Lin Bai agreed.

He Gongji and Lin Bai reported that the eastern powers wanted the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s territory stabilized, while Chu had set the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace a six-month deadline to take control. The First God Child’s reckless promise triggered a dispute over his fitness to lead, and the Second God Child vowed to impeach him after returning to the sect.

• He Gongji told the elders that Chu, Ten Thousand Saints Mountain, and Qi Tian Sect would accept the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace rebuilding its mountain gate if it stabilized the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s territory.
• Lin Bai revealed that Chu would send troops if the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace failed to take the territory within six months, and explained that the First God Child had agreed to the deadline.
• The First God Child claimed the territory could be conquered easily, but He Gongji warned that the local forces could unite against the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace.
• The Second God Child blamed the First God Child for endangering the sect, challenged his record, and declared that he would impeach him through his lineage.
• Shi Renshan accused Lin Bai of plotting against the First God Child, but the Second God Child insisted the impeachment was his own decision; the Third God Child then privately explained his lineage’s longstanding grievances with Shi Renshan.

Lin Bai and the God Children left Eternal Night Pass for the Seven Nights Divine Sect's territory after the Council of Elders deferred the First God Child's punishment and promised rewards for their service. As they crossed lands once assigned to the Northern Region, the Third God Child received news that the Southern Region had broken through Qi Tian Sect's frontier.

• Elder He Gongji stopped the Second God Child and Elder Shi Renshan's argument and said the Council of Elders would decide the First God Child's punishment.
• Elder He Gongji told Lin Bai, the Second God Child, and the Third God Child that the Devil Palace would recognize their contributions, and the group agreed to return to the Seven Nights Divine Sect's territory.
• Lin Bai left Eternal Night Pass aboard a cloud boat flying the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace flag, but some Eastern Region cities refused to let them use their teleportation arrays.
• Old Wen told Lin Bai that the land below them was among the seventy-two great states that would have gone to the Northern Region if Lin Bai had lost.
• The Third God Child received word that the Southern Region army had seized Qi Tian Sect's frontier and was invading in force.

Lin Bai learned that the Southern Region’s four Flourishing Sects had invaded Qi Tian Sect’s territory and hurried toward the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace. Along the way, he found Demon Subjugation Alliance warriors attacking the Demon Palace’s patrol and ordered them to leave the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s territory.

• The Third God Child and Old Wen confirmed that the Southern Region’s four Flourishing Sects had broken through Qi Tian Sect’s first defensive line, prompting Qi Tian Sect to request reinforcements.
• Lin Bai ordered the cloud boat to race toward Huang Long Thousand Provinces after the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace summoned him back.
• On the seventh day, Lin Bai’s group heard a battle ahead and learned that the Demon Subjugation Alliance was trying to exterminate Nine Underworlds Demon Palace warriors.
• The Second God Child, the Third God Child, and Dao Child Yu You stopped the fighting, and the Demon Palace patrol reported that the alliance had attacked them near Huang Long Thousand Provinces.
• Lin Bai confronted the fifteen Demon Subjugation Alliance warriors, accused them of seeking spoils amid the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s turmoil, and gave them one chance to leave the territory.

Lin Bai and the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace defeated a force of the Demon Subjugation Alliance and captured its Primal Chaos Dao Fruit Realm leader, Yuan Kui. As they continued toward the Huang Long Thousand Provinces, Lin Bai learned that the alliance lured outside lineages into the Seven Nights Divine Sect's territory with promises of rewards and operated a bounty system, but its headquarters and resources remained unknown.

• Lin Bai offered the Demon Subjugation Alliance martial artists a chance to leave, but they refused and summoned more than a dozen Grand Luo Dao Fruit Realm fighters and a Primal Chaos Dao Fruit Realm Protector.
• Old Wen dispelled the Protector's attack, and Lin Bai ordered the Second God Child, the Third God Child, Dao Child Yu You, and the others to attack; the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace routed the alliance and captured the Protector's divine soul.
• Lin Bai halted the pursuit of the fleeing alliance members, and Old Wen brought the captive aboard the flying vessel as it continued toward the Huang Long Thousand Provinces.
• The captive identified himself as Yuan Kui, an ancestor of the Yuan Family from the territory of Ten Thousand Saints Mountain, and admitted that his family joined the alliance to seize an opportunity in the unsettled Seven Nights Divine Sect's territory.
• Yuan Kui explained that the masked Alliance Leader assigned members regions and offered Contribution Points for capturing or killing Nine Underworlds Demon Palace martial artists, but he did not know the alliance's headquarters.
• Lin Bai asked where the Demon Subjugation Alliance got its resources to support the bounty system.

Lin Bai investigated the Demon Subjugation Alliance’s resources, then returned to the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace’s new headquarters and began gathering news about the Southern Region. As Yao Daogu and Zhao Fengxia waited for Li Guxian to arrive, they sensed that Lin Bai had begun to embody his role as Emperor.

• Lin Bai questioned a captured Demon Subjugation Alliance martial artist, who said members exchanged Contribution Points for delivered treasures through a secret communication method but did not know the leader or the source of the resources.
• Lin Bai used Soul Search on the weakened martial artist’s soul, confirming his account and astonishing the Demon Palace’s God Children and elders; the soul then dispersed.
• Lin Bai sent the injured Nine Underworlds Guard squad to recuperate and continued with his companions to the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace headquarters in the Huang Long Thousand Provinces.
• Lin Bai went to the Imperial Palace, asked Old Wen to gather news from the Southern Region, and sent Dao Child Yu You to summon Li Guxian.
• Yao Daogu and Zhao Fengxia arrived to meet Lin Bai and waited with him for Li Guxian; Zhao Fengxia remarked that Lin Bai looked more like an Emperor now.

Lin Bai questioned Li Guxian about the Southern Region’s invasion of the Eastern Region and the Devil Palace’s refusal to aid Qi Tian Sect. Li Guxian denied orchestrating the invasion and offered reasons for it, while Lin Bai remained unsure and learned that five forces were competing over the former territory of the Seven Nights Divine Sect.

• Yao Daogu and Zhao Fengxia told Li Guxian that Lin Bai had arrived and described their tense meeting with him.
• Lin Bai asked whether the Devil Palace’s decision not to aid Qi Tian Sect had been made by the Council of Elders, and the elders confirmed it had.
• Lin Bai suspected Li Guxian had provoked the Southern Region to divert attention from the Devil Palace, but she denied involvement and said the Southern Region sought Qi Tian Sect’s resources and saw an opportunity after the Seven Nights Divine Sect fell.
• Li Guxian explained that the Eastern Region’s weakened defensive alliance and the destruction of a Flourishing Sect could have encouraged the Southern Region to invade; Lin Bai considered her account but withheld judgment pending information from the Southern Region.
• Li Guxian reported that the Seven Nights Divine Sect’s territory was divided among the Nine Underworlds Demon Palace, two sect alliances, Azure Lotus Sect, and the Demon Subjugation Alliance, with Chu’s reinforcements separate from those forces.