Chapter Summaries

Du Ziteng worried that the Rejuvenation Pill had opened his Shenque acupoint instead of repairing his dantian, leaving him with a risky cultivation path and no money to temper his body. His troubles eased when Qin He arrived at the Purple Thorn Merchant Guild, whom Du Ziteng greeted as his savior.

• Du Ziteng finished haggling with the Demon Hunters at the Purple Thorn Merchant Guild and collected materials with only mediocre premiums.
• Du Ziteng realized the Rejuvenation Pill had opened his Shenque acupoint rather than repaired his dantian sea of qi.
• Du Ziteng recalled the Shenque Toad Skill and its painful side effect, which required costly body tempering to endure.
• Qin He appeared at the guild, and Du Ziteng eagerly welcomed him as his savior.

Qin He traded materials at the Purple Thorn Merchant Guild and learned that beast crystals were scarce and varied greatly in quality. He left with two low-grade crystals, ate them, and planned to obtain more as the guild searched for the rest.

• Du Ziteng welcomed Qin He and said the guild could procure beast crystals, though it might need to transfer stock from elsewhere.
• Qin He offered Demonic Beast Inner Cores, pills, and materials, which Du Ziteng valued at twelve low-grade or three mid-grade beast crystals.
• Du Ziteng explained that mid-grade crystals cost at least four times as much as low-grade ones because low-grade crystals were inconsistent and difficult to use.
• Qin He declined Du Ziteng's offer to introduce him to the guild's alchemists.
• Du Ziteng gathered two low-grade beast crystals for Qin He and promised to procure the remaining ten within two months.
• Qin He examined the crystals, judged them inferior to the Bloodwing Bat King's crystal, and swallowed them.

At the Immortal Sect Trial, twin sisters trained by Qin He drew attention with their formidable body-tempering techniques. Liang Hao challenged them to show off, but Qin He predicted he would lose because he had taught the sisters another move.

• The Immortal Sect Trial began at Lin'an City's Martial Academy, where contestants fought to hold five arenas before elders from Lingxiao Sect and Baiyun Pavilion.
• Liang Hao, Gu Lan, the Yan Family, and a merchant-house descendant held four arenas, while twin sisters took the central arena with powerful fists and bodies impervious to weapons.
• Qin He watched the sisters fight from a distant wall, and Wang Tie Zhu learned that they were Qin He's believers trained in the Copper Skin Iron Bones Technique and Great Strength Divine Fist.
• Liang Hao abandoned the eastern arena and challenged the twin sisters, hoping to defeat them and draw the immortal sects' attention.
• Qin He explained that Liang Hao would try to keep the sisters at a distance, but said he would lose because he had taught them Hedong Lion's Roar.

Two young sisters used the Lion's Roar at the competition, and Qin He realized it had exposed two Heaven Punishing Bureau divine generals who had been watching him. Zhu Yangbing and Ge Sun fled in separate directions as Qin He set off after them with Wang Tie Zhu.

• The sisters unleashed the Lion's Roar, blasting Liang Hao off the platform and shocking the Baiyun Pavilion and Lingxiao Sect elders.
• Qin He told Wang Tie Zhu he had found two bad people and headed away from the crowd to investigate.
• Zhu Yangbing and Ge Sun sensed that Qin He had spotted them after the Lion's Roar exposed their Heaven Punishing Bureau aura.
• Zhu Yangbing and Ge Sun split up and fled north and east to avoid a direct confrontation with Qin He.

Qin He and Wang Tie Zhu intercepted Ge Sun, a Heaven Punishing Bureau general fleeing toward his comrades, and killed him with a blow from Wang Tie Zhu’s shell. They learned that another general was still alive and examined the broken shield Ge Sun had used.

• Ge Sun fled toward the Heaven Punishing Bureau’s hideout, hoping Shadow Brake and the others could protect him.
• Wang Tie Zhu struck Ge Sun with its turtle shell, shattering his Golden Small Shield and killing him.
• Wang Tie Zhu complained to Qin He that the attack hurt its neck, and Qin He praised its aim and the result.
• Qin He said Ge Sun belonged to the Heaven Punishing Bureau and noted that one more general remained.
• Wang Tie Zhu collected Ge Sun’s body and shield fragments, and Qin He identified the shield’s material as originating from the Deity World before eating a fragment.

Qin He casually chewed on a weapon while Shadow Brake brooded over the delayed Heaven Punishing Strike and the danger of staying near Lin'an. Shadow Brake learned that his scout Chu Yang Bing had died, allegedly crushed by a turtle that fell from the sky.

• Qin He offered Wang Tie Zhu a piece of weapon to chew and told him to prepare chili sauce.
• Shadow Brake received word that a problem with the Divine Chariot Pillar had delayed the Heaven Punishing Strike.
• Shadow Brake considered moving to safety or assassinating Great Immortal Green Ox, but remembered Bureau Lord's order not to openly clash with him before the strike.
• Ge Sun returned from Lin'an without his partner, Chu Yang Bing.
• Ge Sun told Shadow Brake that Chu Yang Bing had been crushed to death by a Big Turtle that fell from the sky.

Qin He infiltrated the Heaven Punishing Bureau’s foothold and revealed himself to Shadow Brake, who vanished using a spatial secret art. Qin He sealed the cave abode and settled in to wait for him to reappear, leaving Shadow Brake trapped in hiding and growing anxious.

• Shadow Brake questioned Ge Sun about Chu Yang Bing’s death and grew suspicious of his cheerful manner.
• Qin He used the Demon Identification Technique to identify Shadow Brake as a mutated Phantom Nightingale and asked about his Beast Crystal.
• Qin He revealed himself, and Shadow Brake recognized him as the False God of Lin City before vanishing without a trace.
• Qin He searched the cave abode, then sealed its entrance with Wang Tie Zhu standing guard outside.
• Qin He set up a barbecue and waited for Shadow Brake to emerge, frustrating Shadow Brake in his spatial hiding place.

Shadow Brake hid in a Space Rift while Qin He waited it out, eating and resting as its demonic essence steadily drained away. On the fourth day, Shadow Brake used its remaining strength to attack Qin He by surprise.

• Shadow Brake concealed itself in a Space Rift, wary of Qin He and searching for a chance to strike.
• Qin He prepared barbecue and food, then ate, rested, and slept beneath the tree while keeping watch.
• Over four days, Shadow Brake's demonic essence drained away as Qin He continued his leisurely vigil.
• Near freezing stiff, Shadow Brake used a secret art to prepare one final attack.
• Shadow Brake's circular blade appeared and slashed soundlessly toward Qin He's neck.

Qin He used the Shifting Technique to evade Shadow Brake’s full-power strike and kill the Night Owl with a Soul Capturing Needle. He took its nearly mid-grade Beast Crystal and ordered Wang Tie Zhu to roast the bird, despite the broken grill.

• Shadow Brake unleashed its strongest circular-blade strike, confident it would kill Qin He.
• Qin He used the Shifting Technique to make Shadow Brake strike the barbecue grill and Tiger Skin Armchair instead.
• Qin He killed Shadow Brake by piercing its forehead with a Soul Capturing Needle, and Shadow Brake fell in its true form as a giant Night Owl.
• Wang Tie Zhu extracted Shadow Brake’s Beast Crystal, which Qin He accepted as a worthwhile reward.
• Qin He told Wang Tie Zhu to roast the Night Owl by skewering it after they discovered the grill was broken.

Qin He burned True Man Three Yang and received Samadhi True Fire, then prepared to burn Shadow Brake with the new flame. Wang Tie Zhu recognized the powerful fire as a new one, leaving Qin He’s discovery in the open.

• Qin He had Wang Tie Zhu carve two pieces of wood and roast Shadow Brake’s legs, then burned the remaining Heaven Punishing Generals and gathered True Man Three Yang’s corpse.
• Qin He burned True Man Three Yang and received Samadhi True Fire as an unexpected reward.
• Qin He buried True Man Three Yang’s ashes in the Sumeru Space cemetery.
• Qin He put Shadow Brake’s legs in the furnace and used the Purple Gold Gourd to unleash the new flame.
• Wang Tie Zhu recognized the flames and asked Qin He whether they were a new fire.

After teaching Wang Tie Zhu the Samadhi True Fire, Qin He learned that the Heaven Punishing Bureau planned to use a divine mirror to strike him and wipe out Lin'an City. He left for Beiliang Kingdom to keep the coming attack away from his companions, while Wang Tie Zhu rushed to gather the beasts.

• Qin He passed the Samadhi True Fire to Wang Tie Zhu.
• Qin He realized the Heaven Punishing Bureau had obtained a Heaven Punishing Divine Mirror and could launch an area strike that threatened Lin'an City and everyone there.
• Qin He told Wang Tie Zhu to return home while he traveled to Beiliang Kingdom.
• Wang Tie Zhu feared Qin He would face the Heaven Punishing Bureau alone and hurried off to gather the beasts.

The Heaven Punishing Bureau used captured Green Ox Disciples to activate the Heaven Punishing Divine Mirror and launch a strike at the False God of Lin City. Just as the attack began, the mirror lost its beacon lock, and the priests discovered that the False God had Heavenly Secrets Concealment.

• The Bureau Lord ordered the divine priests to use the captured Green Ox Disciples as sacrifices to the Heaven Punishing Divine Mirror.
• The divine generals threw the captives into the mirror, which absorbed their thought power and revealed a young man in hemp robes in the mountains.
• The divine priests locked onto the beacon and prepared the Heaven Punishing Strike while the Bureau Lord vowed to slay the False God of Lin City.
• The Bureau Lord and others poured vital energy into the Rune Arrays, summoning a storm and a massive bolt of lightning through the mirror.
• The mirror's images began flickering, and the divine priests reported that the beacon lock had failed because the False God had Heavenly Secrets Concealment.

Qin He hurried toward the Heaven Punishing Bureau after learning that a group of people planned to obtain a weapon in Deity World and attack him. The Heaven Punishing Strike appeared as a lightning tribulation, but vanished before he could swallow it, leaving him furious.

• Qin He raced through the mountains and forests toward the Heaven Punishing Bureau, hoping to arrive in about three days.
• Qin He sensed someone watching him, then saw black clouds gather overhead as the Heaven Punishing Strike descended.
• Qin He recognized the strike as a lightning tribulation, put away the Big Black Shovel, and prepared to swallow it with the Sky-Swallowing Demonic Art.
• Qin He felt the watching presence flicker and disappear, and the clouds and lightning withdrew before he could eat any of the tribulation.
• Qin He stomped his feet and cursed the vanished Heaven Punishing Strike for teasing him.

Qin He waited on the road to Beiliang Kingdom, hoping the Heaven Punishing Bureau would try to strike him with lightning again. At the Oracle Hall, the Bureau Lord ordered another attempt to target the concealed False God, while Wang Tie Zhu and the beasts raced through the mountains on Lamborghini.

• Qin He decided to travel slowly toward Beiliang Kingdom and wait for the Heaven Punishing Bureau to come after him again.
• The Oracle Hall learned that Heavenly Secrets Concealment had hidden the False God of Lin City from the Heaven Punishing Divine Mirror.
• The Heaven Punishing Bureau Lord declared that unregistered names were False Gods and ordered the bureau to try again.
• Lamborghini raced through the mountain forest with Wang Tie Zhu, Little Sable, Old Ape, and Ma Fei clinging to its body.
• Wang Tie Zhu urged Lamborghini to run faster so they would not miss supper.

After Wang Tie Zhu took Corpse Burning Room No. 7 north, Wei Wu learned it was gone and decided to leave the capital too. He made himself Emperor, appointed the Marquis of Purple Robes Regent Crown Prince, and departed, leaving the Marquis to accept the appointment despite suspecting Wei Wu was an impostor.

• Wang Tie Zhu left with Qin He and took Corpse Burning Room No. 7 north, alarming Wei Wu and You Wenqu.
• Wei Wu ordered that he be crowned Emperor within an hour and that the Marquis of Purple Robes be appointed Regent Crown Prince.
• Wei Wu raided the imperial treasury for treasures before setting out to leave.
• The Marquis of Purple Robes angrily rejected the appointment, believing the new ruler was an impostor who had replaced Li Chenggang.
• The Marquis of Purple Robes reconsidered and accepted the edict, deciding that reclaiming Great Jing mattered more than challenging the suspected impostor.

Qin He traveled north with a small caravan and learned that Brown Bear Ridge was haunted by demons. As the caravan entered the valley, a voice demanded toll money, and Qin He wondered whether a Bear Demon would appear.

• Qin He joined a small caravan protected by two early Spring Gushing Realm escort masters.
• Little Bean chatted with Qin He until Old Cartman warned him that the caravan was nearing Brown Bear Ridge.
• The caravan entered the shadowed valley, where Little Bean whispered that demons haunted the ridge.
• A gale swept through the woods, and an unseen voice demanded toll money from the travelers.

Demons ambushed a merchant caravan at Brown Bear Ridge and trapped its terrified members between two forces. Qin He revealed his strength by blowing away several Lesser Demons, then agreed to return with the Bear Demon after asking about its wine and cooking equipment.

• The Bear Demon and Deer Demon blocked both ends of the road, killed the two escort masters, and drove the merchants into a terrified crowd.
• The Lesser Demons targeted Little Bean, but Qin He sat up in a cart and blew a Weasel Spirit and several Lesser Demons away with a yawn.
• The Bear Demon questioned Qin He, wary of his strength despite his Gushing Spring Realm aura.
• Qin He asked whether the Bear Demon had wine, a grill, or a pot, then said he would go back with it.

Qin He forced the demons of Brown Bear Ridge to feast on the Bear Demon King and the chieftains he had killed. After they devoured the stew and craved more, he invited the frightened Second Chieftain, the Deer Demon, to join him at the table.

• Qin He sat in the Bear King's seat of honor while the demons gathered around the stew made from the Bear Demon King and other slain demons.
• The great and lesser demons ate the stew, found it nourishing and delicious, and quickly emptied the pot except for four bear paws.
• Qin He asked whether the food was good, and the demons answered only with fearful, greedy looks.
• Qin He promised more food and drink, then asked the Second Chieftain, the Deer Demon, to agree.
• The Deer Demon trembled and agreed with Qin He, who invited it to join him at the table.

Qin He killed several of Brown Bear Ridge’s chiefs and had their bodies stewed for the demons to eat. The sixth chief, a Rabbit Demon, begged for its life and offered to reveal the ridge’s treasures, leaving Qin He ready to hear its account at the table.

• Qin He invited the Deer Demon to the table, then killed it with a Corpse Suppressing Nail and ordered the cooks to stew it.
• The Lesser Demons devoured the deer soup while the remaining chiefs watched in terror.
• Qin He killed the fourth chief, the Pheasant Demon, and the seventh chief, the Rhino Demon, then ordered them cooked.
• The Lesser Demons pointed Qin He toward the sixth chief, the Rabbit Demon, which begged for mercy and offered its knowledge of the ridge’s treasures.
• Qin He told the Rabbit Demon to come to the table and explain what treasures it knew about.

Qin He learned about the Bear Demon’s treasure caches and ties to Black Wind Cave, then decided to build a temple at Brown Bear Ridge to protect his life and gather faith. In Heaven Punishing City, Wang Tie Zhu and the others searched for news of Qin He and considered interrogating a divine general.

• Qin He questioned the Rabbit Demon, learned the Bear Demon had nine treasure caches, and claimed them as his own.
• The Rabbit Demon revealed that the Bear Demon came from Black Wind Cave and had a bloodline connection to the Black Wind Monster.
• Qin He learned that Brown Bear Ridge held tens of thousands of demons and announced plans to build a temple for faith, merit, and the Rabbit Demon’s protection.
• Wang Tie Zhu, Lamborghini, and the others arrived in Heaven Punishing City and found no news about Qin He.
• Ma Fei proposed capturing a divine general to interrogate him, and Wang Tie Zhu reacted with alarm.