Chapter Summaries

Niu Chengan and the Demon Suppression Division investigated the Corpse Burning Shop, but he sensed danger in its unusually resilient, array-protected door and withdrew. Qin He returned to find the gate damaged and angrily wondered who had struck it.

• The Captain and two subordinates pounded on the Corpse Burning Shop’s gate while a voice inside cursed and provoked them.
• Niu Chengan sensed an array’s power and a possible danger, so he ordered the group to stop and withdraw.
• The Captain asked what had happened, and Niu Chengan said the Corpse Burner was new before asking him to summon Xing Lao San, Huang Da, and Huang Er.
• Qin He returned carrying a roasted lamb shank, examined the marks on the gate, and angrily asked who had damaged it.

The Demon Suppression Division sought information about the mysterious new Corpse Burner, but Huang Da and Huang Er knew nothing and were beaten for it. Xing San also lacked answers, so he promised Niu Chengan he would investigate and report back in three days.

• Ma Fei urged Qin He to retaliate after the Demon Suppression Division arrived and threatened to tear down his place.
• The Captain had Huang Da and Huang Er beaten, then demanded information about the new Corpse Burner.
• Huang Da and Huang Er said they knew nothing, so the Captain ordered them beaten again.
• Xing San arrived, offered Niu Chengan a pouch of Purple Gold Coins, and admitted he did not know the Corpse Burner's origins.
• Xing San promised to investigate and provide Niu Chengan with an answer in three days.

Xing San realized that Qin He was someone even the Demon Suppression Division had to treat cautiously, while Lin'an City became unsettled by an aggressive envoy from the Myriad Demon Kingdom. The chapter ended with the Sackcloth Youth leaving a tavern after spending most of his money.

• Xing San scolded Huang Da and Huang Er for provoking Qin He and warned them that the Demon Suppression Division’s cautious handling showed Qin He was no ordinary person.
• Two days later, word spread that the Bloodwing Bat King’s delegation had clashed with the Border Army near the capital, leaving dead and wounded.
• Tavern patrons debated whether the Myriad Demon Kingdom would go to war with Great Jing and warned a boastful diner against targeting the Half-Dragon envoy for its treasures.
• The Sackcloth Youth paid his bill, noticed his purse was nearly empty, and muttered that he was broke again.

Qin He discovered two dangerous parasitic Demonic Beasts hidden in a corpse delivered to the Corpse Burning Room and captured them. The corpse’s Shadow Play revealed that the people behind the scheme had raised demons using living victims.

• Qin He returned to the Corpse Burning Room and accepted a vicious Demonic Corpse from the lame middle-aged man.
• Qin He found two Demonic Beasts concealed in the corpse’s chest and captured them after they broke through his barrier and damaged his fire tongs.
• Qin He washed and repaired the corpse before burning it in the furnace.
• Qin He watched the corpse’s Shadow Play and learned that she had died only two days earlier, confirming that the group had raised demons using living people.

Qin He burned Lin Xiao'e’s body and received a Demon Luring Talisman, then handed a bucket of ashes to the lame middle-aged man. As Qin He settled in for the night, urgent hoofbeats and patrol torches signaled unrest in the city.

• Lin Xiao'e’s suffering and death were recounted, and Qin He received a Demon Luring Talisman as his reward.
• Qin He put the talisman away and burned Lin Xiao'e’s body in the Corpse Burning Furnace.
• Qin He kept Lin Xiao'e’s ashes in a corner, filled a bucket with old bones and coal ash, and gave it to the lame middle-aged man.
• Qin He repaired his fire tongs and went to bed, eventually falling asleep when the Little Sable returned and curled up in his arms.
• Ma Fei watched the steaming ash bucket as urgent hoofbeats and patrols with torches moved through the night, while dark shapes darted between them.

Xing San visited Qin He to learn about him and smooth over the trouble caused by failed Demon-Nurturing Corpse tests, then treated him to a meal. After Qin He ate his fill, Xing San reported to Niu Chengan that Qin He was named Hua An and had come to the Capital City after offending Tang Bohu.

• Xing San visited Qin He, claiming he had come to welcome him and get acquainted on behalf of the Corpse Burners.
• Xing San offered to treat Qin He to a meal, and Qin He eagerly accepted while warning that he ate a lot.
• Qin He ate at Changshan Restaurant for a long time, leaving Xing San nearly broke and deeply displeased.
• Xing San hurried to the Demon Suppression Division and told Niu Chengan that Qin He was named Hua An, came from Suzhou, and had offended a Spring Gushing Realm enemy named Tang Bohu.

Qin He sold a pair of Centipede Demon Gu for thirty thousand silver coins and watched the Myriad Demon Kingdom’s envoy enter the city. After learning the Demon Flood Dragon’s horns were worth one thousand gold coins, he eyed them with interest.

• Xing San told Niu Chengan and Zhang Liang that Hua An claimed to have learned corpse-suppressing techniques from Zhu Zhishan and had a sweetheart named Qiuxiang, then complained about the cost of feeding him.
• Qin He returned to Purple Thorn Acquisition House and sold a male-female pair of Centipede Demon Gu to the young shopkeeper for thirty thousand silver coins.
• Cavalry cleared the market streets as the Myriad Demon Kingdom’s envoy entered the city with a heavily guarded procession.
• Qin He saw the Demon Flood Dragon envoy riding in a carriage pulled by eight elephants and learned from the young shopkeeper that the envoy was Myriad Demon Kingdom royalty.
• Qin He learned that the Demon Flood Dragon’s horns were worth one thousand gold coins and eyed them thoughtfully.

At Cuiqing Brothel, Cai Linglong tried to break the imprisoned Illusion Butterfly Demoness’s defiance, but Wei Wu secretly offered to help her escape. The Demoness accepted his food and guidance, though she remained suspicious of his identity, and their escape plan had not yet begun.

• Cai Linglong threatened the Illusion Butterfly Demoness with daily customers after more than ten days of failing to make her submit.
• Wei Wu volunteered to persuade the Demoness, concealed his hatred of Cai Linglong, and returned to her room alone.
• Wei Wu told the Demoness that they shared the same predicament and offered to help her escape if she listened to him.
• Wei Wu fed the starving Demoness and urged her to earn Cai Linglong’s trust before attempting to flee.
• Wei Wu introduced himself as Qin He with the courtesy name Wei Wu, and the Demoness gave her name as Huan Qingwu.
• Huan Qingwu found something hard in the chicken and vomited after Wei Wu said it was probably dirt from the floor.

The Demon Flood Dragon Envoy Xi Tianlong used the missing Holy Maiden of Butterfly Island and a slain toad demon to threaten Great Jing during a diplomatic banquet. After killing two attendants and ordering his soldiers to feast on the dancers, he left the Marquis of Purple Robes and the other officials powerless to stop the slaughter.

• The Marquis of Purple Robes toasted Xi Tianlong and asked for peace between Great Jing and the Myriad Demon Kingdom.
• Xi Tianlong accused Great Jing of causing the Holy Maiden of Butterfly Island to vanish and killing a toad demon, then rejected the Marquis's claim that a third nation might be responsible.
• Xi Tianlong transformed his hands into claws, killed two attendants, and ate their hearts in front of the banquet guests.
• The Demon Bear Leader, Demon Tiger Leader, and Demon Leopard Leader threatened the Marquis of Purple Robes and the officials with their powerful auras.
• Xi Tianlong ordered the dancers replaced, then said his soldiers needed food, and the demon soldiers attacked the dancers.

Qin He learned that Tiger Demons from the Myriad Demon Kingdom had slaughtered the Four Directions Pavilion and seized Dingxiang Tower, where his favorite performers were trapped. He transformed into a Tiger Demon and headed inside with a Nine-Toothed Rake, setting out to attack them.

• Qin He counted his fortune and decided to wait before confronting the powerful demon envoys.
• Qin He visited Dingxiang Tower and found it surrounded by Tiger Soldiers as screams and roars came from inside.
• Liang Liang told Qin He that the Tiger Demons had slaughtered and eaten more than a hundred people at the Four Directions Pavilion before taking over Dingxiang Tower.
• Qin He learned that the singers he liked were still inside and became furious.
• Qin He transformed into a Tiger Demon, changed the Great Iron Shovel into a Nine-Toothed Rake, and approached Dingxiang Tower.

Qin He infiltrated Dingxiang Tower and ambushed the Tiger Demon leader, then fought the remaining Tiger Demons. News of the Tiger Clan’s destruction reached Niu Chengan, who found the bloody trail left by the lone survivor dragging the leader’s corpse away.

• Qin He entered Dingxiang Tower disguised as a Tiger Demon and killed the Tiger Demons gathered on the first floor with iron nails.
• Qin He climbed to the fourth floor and killed the Tiger Demon leader with a single ambush strike from the Nine-Toothed Rake.
• The Tiger Demon underlings attacked Qin He after realizing their leader was dead.
• News spread that the Tiger Clan had been wiped out at Dingxiang Tower, with only one lesser demon remaining to drag away the leader’s corpse.
• Niu Chengan arrived at Dingxiang Tower, saw the dead Tiger Demons and the long blood trail, and feared the consequences for Great Jing and the Myriad Demon Kingdom.

After the Tiger Demon guards were killed, Niu Chengan found Southern Ming Li Fire consuming the crime scene and reported suspected Demon Race infighting. The Crown Prince ordered the Marquis of Purple Robes to verify the claim and appease Xi Tianlong while keeping Great Jing clear of blame.

• Niu Chengan ordered his officers to clean the bloodstains and suppress news of the killings.
• Blue flames engulfed Dingxiang Tower without smoke or spreading beyond its walls, and Niu Chengan identified them as Southern Ming Li Fire.
• Niu Chengan told Zhang Liang to report suspected Demon Race infighting and summon the Myriad Demon Kingdom envoy group.
• The Crown Prince rebuked the Marquis of Purple Robes for withdrawing the City Guard and failing to protect the envoy group.
• The Marquis of Purple Robes reported that the City Patrol Office suspected a Tiger Demon culprit and Southern Ming Li Fire at the scene.
• The Crown Prince ordered the Marquis of Purple Robes to investigate, appease Xi Tianlong, and send two hundred more singers and dancing girls to the Four Directions Pavilion.

After blue flames destroyed Dingxiang Tower, Xi Tianlong blamed Great Jing while the Marquis of Purple Robes suspected the fire would draw the Divine Race’s attention. The next day, Qin He returned to the Purple Thorn Merchant Guild with a Tiger Demon’s penis, leaving the junior shopkeeper stunned.

• Xi Tianlong arrived at Dingxiang Tower and recognized the blue flames as Southern Ming Li Fire, which raised suspicions of conflict within the Demon Race.
• The Marquis of Purple Robes urged Xi Tianlong to report the fire to the Bat King, but Xi Tianlong demanded an explanation from Great Jing and left in anger.
• Rumors spread throughout Lin'an City that the Tiger Demons had been wiped out, though people debated who had acted and where the Tiger Demon leader’s corpse had gone.
• At the Purple Thorn Merchant Guild, the junior shopkeeper grew bored of ordinary trade and argued with customers before taking a long break.
• Qin He returned to the shop and set a Tiger Demon’s penis on the counter, prompting the junior shopkeeper to cover it in alarm.

Qin He tested whether a Merchant Guild shopkeeper would buy the Tiger Demon parts he had taken, then offered the leader’s valuable remains for sale. The junior shopkeeper agreed boldly, while Qin He remained confident that nobody could identify him.

• The junior shopkeeper suspected Qin He had killed the Tiger Demons, but Qin He focused on negotiating a better price.
• The junior shopkeeper brought Qin He into a private room and offered eight thousand silver coins for the Tiger Penis.
• After learning which Tiger Demon parts were valuable, Qin He produced the leader’s hide, Inner Core, paws, and bones.
• The junior shopkeeper agreed to buy the materials despite the danger and said the Purple Thorn Merchant Guild feared no one.
• Qin He checked his disguised face in a mirror and said he was not worried about being reported or recognized.

After Ah Hu was killed, Xi Tianlong raged at the Four Directions Pavilion and demanded more dancers, while the Leopard Demon considered urging the delegation to retreat from Lin'an City. The Leopard Demon then spotted Huan Qingwu, who beckoned it over.

• Xi Tianlong vowed to avenge Ah Hu and smashed his wine cup.
• A lesser demon told Xi Tianlong that the dancers were gone and the Marquis of Purple Robes had no more to send yet.
• The Leopard Demon left the pavilion and reflected that the delegation should retreat from Lin'an City.
• The Leopard Demon saw Huan Qingwu at a street corner, and she beckoned it to come speak with her.

Qin He used Huan Qingwu’s illusion and a shovel to kill the Leopard Demon, then dragged its corpse away. After discovering the body, the Bear Demon led its unit south out of the city in pursuit.

• Qin He disguised himself as Huan Qingwu and lured the Leopard Demon into looking away with a nonexistent moon.
• Qin He struck the Leopard Demon with the Great Iron Shovel, killing it with one blow.
• Qin He dragged the corpse away, leaving a trail of blood and brains.
• The Bear Demon learned of the Leopard Demon's death and led the Lesser Demons to search for the killer.
• The Bear Demon followed a route south, broke through the city gates, and led its unit out of the city.

After the Leopard Demon was killed and the Bear Demon fled, Regent Crown Prince Li Chenggang ordered Xi Tianlong out of Lin'an City. Qin He learned that the demons had left without saying goodbye and set off after them.

• The City Defense Army and Demon Suppression Division discovered the Bear Demon's flight and reported the killings and Xi Tianlong's situation to the Cabinet.
• Li Chenggang ordered experts to protect Xi Tianlong and the Marquis of Purple Robes to escort it out of the country.
• The Marquis of Purple Robes told Xi Tianlong that its lackeys were dead or gone and gave it half a shichen to leave.
• Xi Tianlong learned what had happened, ordered the demons to pack, and led them toward home.
• Qin He woke at noon, learned the demons had left, and chased after them with the Great Iron Shovel.

The Marquis of Purple Robes escorted Xi Tianlong south from Lin'an City while Xi complained about the exhausting journey. When Wolf Seven and Wolf Nine arrived to rescue Xi, the Marquis learned that they were powerful leaders of a clan subordinate to the Flood Dragon Clan.

• Xi Tianlong resisted the journey and tried to stop for rest, but the Marquis of Purple Robes continued riding with him under guard.
• Wolf Seven and Wolf Nine arrived with a troop of wolf riders and greeted Xi Tianlong.
• Xi told Wolf Seven and Wolf Nine that Leopard was dead and Big Bear had abandoned him, prompting them to accuse the Marquis of Purple Robes of mistreating their envoy.
• The Marquis of Purple Robes recognized that Wolf Seven and Wolf Nine were powerful enough to challenge him and the other court experts.
• The chapter explained that the Flood Dragon Clan was a bloodline descended from the ancient Boss Flood Dragon, and that Xi Tianlong's Rock Lizard Clan was one branch of it.

Marquis of Purple Robes confronted Wolf Seven and Wolf Nine over the Myriad Demon Kingdom delegation, then demanded they sign a document accepting responsibility for its safety. Hidden nearby, Qin He decided to risk pursuing his million-reward target and devised a way to approach the group.

• Marquis of Purple Robes and the Great Jing experts accused Wolf Seven and Wolf Nine of causing trouble through their own kingdom’s internal strife, and the two sides clashed with their auras.
• Wolf Seven and Wolf Nine backed down from a fight, and Marquis of Purple Robes demanded that Wolf Seven sign a document disclaiming Great Jing’s responsibility for the delegation.
• Qin He watched from the forest and weighed the danger of confronting the late-stage Wheel Sea Realm Wolf Seven against the million-reward target.
• Qin He spotted a stream that could aid his escape art, transformed himself into a bear demon, and prepared to approach the group in disguise.

Qin He disguised himself as Big Bear and tried to seize Xi Tianlong, but Wolf Seven intercepted him and forced him into a fight. Qin He’s strength surprised Wolf Seven, and the chapter ended with their weapons colliding in a blow that sent Wolf Seven staggering backward.

• Qin He appeared disguised as Big Bear and claimed he had chased Leopard’s killer to the area.
• Xi Tianlong rejected Qin He’s explanation and cursed him as Qin He moved close enough to attack.
• Qin He used Earth Escape to try to grab Xi Tianlong, but Wolf Seven blocked him with his fang spear.
• Qin He struck Wolf Seven’s spear barehanded, shattering the bones in his hand before his Self-Healing Technique began to mend them.
• Wolf Seven charged Qin He, who met the attack with his bone club and staggered Wolf Seven with the impact.