Chapter Summaries

Ning Qi shared Enlightenment Tea with his fellow disciples, then watched Jiang Baishan leave the sect with Lin Ruhua. The Great Yan Imperial Court promised support against the Demonic Sect and Southern Border, but the chapter ended with Blade Demon emerging from seclusion.

• Ning Qi and his fellow disciples drank Enlightenment Tea, gaining insights that broke through bottlenecks and strengthened their foundations.
• Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua quietly left True Martial Mountain, and Dragon Mountain Daoist and Ning Qi watched them depart.
• Chen Xing and General Shenyu brought the North Suppressing King's reply, confirming that the imperial court would oppose the Demonic Sect and Southern Border and station General Shenyu near the sect.
• General Shenyu revealed that the Demonic Sect's method for reaching the Martial Saint realm might involve Exotic Beast Inner Cores, while the imperial court investigated Southern Border's plans.
• Ning Qi continued cultivating as attention shifted away from Heavenly Sword Real Person, until Blade Demon emerged from seclusion.

Blade Demon continued defeating Heaven-Human experts with a single slash, and Ning Qi deduced that he was using the world’s strongest fighters to complete his Blade Dao. As Blade Demon’s route brought him closer to True Martial Mountain, Ning Qi focused on advancing his cultivation while Luo Wentian monitored the growing threat; the chapter ended with crowds gathering to watch Blade Demon’s expected challenge to Heavenly Sword Real Person.

• Blade Demon killed Heart Blade Old Man after defeating him, and people began investigating why his broken blade’s hilt seemed to grow shorter with each challenge.
• Ning Qi told Luo Wentian that Blade Demon might be using powerful fighters to complete his Blade Dao, while Luo worried that Blade Demon would soon challenge him on True Martial Mountain.
• Luo Wentian reported that the Imperial Court and True Martial Sect had damaged several Southern Border and Demonic Sect strongholds but had found no Blood King Gu; Ning Qi urged them to pursue Southern Border’s Gu instead.
• Ning Qi reasoned through how to cultivate the Three Flowers and strengthen his control of Heaven and Earth Power after entering the Heaven-Human Realm.
• Blade Demon defeated Luo Fu Swordmaster with one slash, and after further challenges, his route pointed toward Heavenly Sword Real Person.
• Crowds gathered at True Martial Mountain, expecting Blade Demon to challenge Heavenly Sword Real Person next.

Blade Demon sensed Ning Qi’s Sword Intent at True Martial Mountain and postponed their fight, later challenging other Heaven-Human Ranking experts as he built toward his strongest opponent. Meanwhile, the Demonic Sect and Southern Border leaders discussed how to counter the Great Yan Imperial Court’s interference with their Martial Saint plans.

• Blade Demon reached True Martial Mountain, sensed the True Martial Sword Stele, and recognized Ning Qi as a worthy opponent, but left without issuing a challenge so he could return at his peak.
• Blade Demon later challenged Night King Saber Sovereign and then Proud Heaven Sword, while people debated whether Heavenly Sword Real Person would be his final opponent.
• Ning Qi ignored the speculation and focused on God Forging, aiming to enter the Heaven-Human Realm within two months.
• Xiang Tianxing, Blue River Elder, and other Demonic Sect and Southern Border leaders met to discuss the Imperial Court’s efforts to disrupt their Blood Emperor Gu cultivation.
• Ghost Mask proposed that Southern Border help the Demonic Sect complete its Holy Pill first, after which the Demonic Sect would help refine the Blood Emperor Gu.

The Demonic Sect and Southern Border agreed to secretly gather resources for their Martial Saint plans while keeping Great Yan occupied. Meanwhile, Blade Demon defeated Divine Wind Saber Sovereign and Azure Sea Sword Sect, leaving two swordsmen as his remaining challengers as Ning Qi neared the Heaven-Human Realm.

• Black Rock rejected Ghost Mask's proposal to let Southern Border's Blood King Gu rely on human blood, and Lan Yiyi instead proposed using beast blood and Northern Barbarian resources while the Demonic Sect hunted Exotic Beasts.
• Lin Xue Shuang accepted a mission to hunt Exotic Beasts in the Ten Thousand Mountains after learning that her daughter Lin Ruhua had fled with Jiang Baishan, and she asked that Ruhua be brought to see her if found.
• Blade Demon defeated Divine Wind Saber Sovereign at Red Leaf Plain and revealed that he was half a step from the Supreme Realm, earning the title of number one Blade Guest under heaven.
• A month later, Blade Demon defeated Azure Sea Sword Sect at Vast Sea Pearl Island, and observers realized he had gained considerable insight during his delay.
• The martial world split between those who expected Blade Demon to challenge Heavenly Sword Real Person and those who expected him to challenge Sun Chasing Sword King, while Ning Qi neared a breakthrough to the Heaven-Human Realm.

Ning Qi silently entered the Heaven-Human Realm and gained confidence that he could face the coming Martial Saints, though he resolved to grow stronger and investigate their hidden strongholds. As the world focused on the Blade Demon’s challenge to the Sunset Sword Sect, Ning Qi continued cultivating while the Blade Demon arrived to face the Sun Chasing Sword King.

• Ning Qi perfected his divine intent, formed the Bridge of Heaven and Man, and entered the Heaven-Human Realm beneath the peach tree.
• Ning Qi discovered he could resonate with far more Heaven and Earth Power than ordinary experts and told himself he needed to grow stronger and locate the Demonic Sect’s and Southern Border’s secret sites.
• Dragon Mountain Daoist came to the Seeking Dao Institute, realized Ning Qi had broken through, and celebrated with him.
• Ning Qi ignored the Blade Demon’s challenge and worked to develop a second Bridge of Heaven and Man through his Heaven and Man United Secret Skill.
• Half a month after the Azure Sea Sword Sect’s defeat, the Blade Demon arrived at the Sunset Sword Sect to challenge the Sun Chasing Sword King.

Blade Demon defeated Sun Chasing Sword King in a clash of their strongest techniques and announced that his next battle would be against Heavenly Sword Real Person. As the world gathered around True Martial Mountain, Ning Qi planned how much power to reveal and sought a faster way to cultivate, while sensing a great terror hidden in the workings of the world.

• Blade Demon met Sun Chasing Sword King at Sword King Peak, and their first exchange ended with Sun Chasing Sword King realizing he had lost.
• Sun Chasing Sword King unleashed the sword power of Sword King Peak, but Blade Demon defeated his strongest strike with the Heaven Demon Blade and revealed that Wuwei Ke had died after receiving only half of it.
• Blade Demon confirmed that he would fight Heavenly Sword Real Person, then left as news of Sun Chasing Sword King's defeat drew crowds toward True Martial Mountain.
• Ning Qi decided to defeat Blade Demon without revealing power close to a Martial Saint's, and considered using heavenly thunder from the High Heavens to speed up his cultivation.
• Ning Qi sensed a great terror hidden in the unseen workings of the world and resolved to grow stronger quickly.

Ning Qi perfected the Bridge of Heaven and Man Secret Art and began tempering his Three Flowers with thunder from the High Heaven Thunder Forbidden Zone. As the Blade Demon’s duel with Heavenly Sword Real Person drew near and crowds gathered at True Martial Mountain, Ning Qi prepared to study Zhuang Chen’s Innate Sword Bone and the White Ape’s bloodline, then sensed the expected arrival of someone on the horizon.

• Ning Qi sublimated the Heaven and Man United Secret Skill into the Bridge of Heaven and Man Secret Art, greatly increasing how much Heaven and Earth Power he could resonate with.
• Ning Qi returned to the High Heaven Thunder Forbidden Zone and used its thunder to temper his Three Flowers more than twice as efficiently as ordinary heavenly thunder.
• Martial artists gathered at True Martial City to await the Blade Demon’s duel with Heavenly Sword Real Person, and Sun Chasing Sword King admired the True Martial Sword Stele and wondered if Heavenly Sword Real Person had reached the Ultimate Realm of the Sword Dao.
• Ning Qi gave Zhuang Chen a Secret Art to activate his Innate Sword Bone for study, after giving a similar art to the White Ape two days earlier.
• Ning Qi sensed someone arriving on the horizon and smiled.

The Blade Demon challenged Heavenly Sword Real Person at True Martial Mountain, hoping to advance his Blade Dao through their battle. Heavenly Sword Real Person revealed the Ultimate Realm of Sword Dao and shattered the Blade Demon’s strongest attack, leaving the Blade Demon defeated.

• The Blade Demon arrived at True Martial Mountain as martial artists and powerful experts gathered to watch his challenge.
• The Blade Demon greeted Heavenly Sword Real Person and unleashed his Human-Demon Blade, but Heavenly Sword Real Person dispersed it with a single heavenly sword.
• The Blade Demon revealed his incomplete Nirvana Slash, uniting heaven, earth, and man, while Ning Qi observed and assessed his Blade Dao.
• Heavenly Sword Real Person summoned 108 Heavenly Swords into the Tiangang Disha Sword Formation and trapped the Blade Demon’s demonic blade.
• The Heavenly Swords wore down the Nirvana Slash until the demonic blade shattered, confirming the Blade Demon’s defeat.

Heavenly Sword Real Person defeated Blade Demon, then helped him reach the Ultimate Realm of the Blade Dao. Blade Demon failed in his attempt to become a Martial Saint and departed, while Ning Qi gained new insight into the breakthrough and watched the True Martial Sword Stele attract renewed attention.

• Heavenly Sword Real Person defeated Blade Demon and trapped him in a Sword Cage, which he used to help Blade Demon gain enlightenment.
• Blade Demon entered the Ultimate Realm of the Blade Dao, thanked Heavenly Sword Real Person, and asked him to serve as Protector while he attempted to become a Martial Saint.
• Blade Demon perfected his Three Flowers and drew Heaven and Earth Power into his body, but Ning Qi saw that the breakthrough was failing.
• Heavenly Sword Real Person severed the connection between Blade Demon's Blade Intent and Three Flowers, allowing Blade Demon to vent the unstable power by sacrificing his left arm.
• Blade Demon thanked Heavenly Sword Real Person and left True Martial Mountain, while the gathered experts turned their attention to the True Martial Sword Stele.

After defeating the Blade Demon, Ning Qi persuaded him to guard True Martial Mountain for ten years in exchange for a Martial Saint Method. As Heavenly Sword Real Person’s fame spread, the Demonic Sect and Southern Border paused plans against the True Martial Sect, while Lan Yiyi was approached by Qin Yun.

• Ning Qi found the despairing Blade Demon, helped him overcome his Heart Demon, and offered him a Martial Saint Method for guarding True Martial Mountain for ten years.
• Ning Qi revealed that he had learned the Blade Demon's Blade Intent, and the Blade Demon accepted the pact, hoping to face a Martial Saint someday.
• News of Heavenly Sword Real Person's victory spread across the Martial World, drawing experts to True Martial Mountain and strengthening the True Martial Sect's influence.
• The Demonic Sect's Grand Elder ordered its members to stop troubling the True Martial Sect and focus on refining the Holy Pill.
• The Southern Border Council of Elders voted five to four to shelve action against the True Martial Sect and prioritize nurturing the Blood Emperor Gu.
• After Lan He confronted Hong Yan over his remarks about Lan Yiyi, someone told Lan Yiyi that Qin Yun had come to see her.

Qin Yun heard Lan Yiyi’s sorrow over her fate as Southern Border’s sacrificial saintess, while she warned him to cherish those close to him and revealed that Southern Border had suspended its plans against the True Martial Sect. Later, Ning Qi and the Blade Demon exchanged insights about failed attempts to reach the Martial Saint Realm, uncovering a shared terror within Heaven and Earth Power and new ideas for controlling it.

• Qin Yun thanked Lan Yiyi for helping restore his freedom, and she confided that she regretted becoming a saintess after her tribe was destroyed on the day she accepted Divine Cleansing.
• Qin Yun promised to help Lan Yiyi, but she told him he could not interfere, urged him to cherish those before him, and revealed that Southern Border had shelved its actions against the True Martial Sect.
• Flame Martial Great General sought an audience with the Martial Saint in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, waited three days without a response, and left as hidden observers worried about the elder’s prolonged sleep.
• The Imperial Heaven Bureau revised the Heaven-Human Ranking, placing Heavenly Sword Real Person third and Blade Demon fourth, while rumors spread that Heavenly Sword Real Person might become the next Martial Saint.
• Ning Qi met the Blade Demon in the Back Mountain Forbidden Area, and they compared their experiences of breaking through and sensed that Heaven and Earth Power carried a great terror.
• Ning Qi shared deductions about merging martial will with the Three Flowers, refining Heaven and Earth Power, and storing it in place of Yuan Pill; the Blade Demon was convinced Ning Qi could reach the Martial Saint Realm.

Ning Qi prepared to descend the mountain and investigate Southern Border’s Blood King Gu while waiting for the Year-End Grand Competition. As he studied White Ape’s bloodline, he witnessed a vision of a powerful Silver Giant Ape and suspected the sight might connect to the severed Martial Saint Inheritance.

• Ning Qi learned that the Imperial Court had found no firm clues about the Blood King Gu or the Demonic Sect’s Holy Pill, and he told Luo Wentian he would investigate Southern Border himself.
• Ning Qi agreed to wait a few days for Luo Wentian to organize intelligence before descending the mountain, while the True Martial Sect’s Sword Stele and Ten Thousand Paths Tower drew many visitors.
• White Ape successfully cultivated Ning Qi’s Resonance Secret Technique, and Ning Qi used it to probe the secrets of White Ape’s bloodline.
• Ning Qi’s divine intent entered a vision of a Silver Giant Ape absorbing moonlight and Heaven and Earth Power, but the vision shattered after the beast turned its Golden Pupils toward him.
• Ning Qi concluded that he needed stronger divine will to see what happened next and planned to continue studying White Ape’s bloodline and the Eye of Truth.

Ning Qi attended the True Martial Sect’s Year-End Grand Competition, where the top three new disciples earned promotion to True Disciples and were taken as apprentices. Luo Wentian chose Goudan, gave him the name Luo Nianchu, and left him with a reminder to remember his roots.

• White Ape woke after his bloodline resonated with Ning Qi’s and reported that he felt fine, with his bloodline slightly more developed.
• Ning Qi and White Ape arrived at the Martial Arena, where Ye Qinghe revealed her intention to take Ouyang Yuxuan as a disciple.
• The new disciples’ competition ended with Lu Mang in first place, Ouyang Yuxuan in second, and beggar-born Goudan in third.
• Ye Qinghe took Ouyang Yuxuan as her disciple, and Xiong Shi took Lu Mang as his.
• Luo Wentian invited Goudan to become his disciple, and Goudan eagerly accepted.
• Luo Wentian gave Goudan the name Luo Nianchu and urged him to remember the road he had traveled.

After the year-end reunion, Ning Qi studied the innate abilities hidden in White Ape’s bloodline and Zhuang Chen’s Innate Sword Bone, uncovering clues about changes in the world. He completed secret arts for both the Eye of Truth and Innate Divine Sword Qi and prepared to descend the mountain to pursue the enemy.

• The True Martial Sect disciples celebrated the year-end reunion with Dragon Mountain Daoist, while they wondered how Jiang Baishan was faring.
• Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua learned that Heavenly Sword Real Person had defeated Blade Demon, and Lin Ruhua told Jiang Baishan she was expecting a child.
• Ning Qi resonated with Zhuang Chen’s Innate Sword Bone and witnessed visions suggesting that Innate Sword Bones originated from heaven and earth and once let their bearers absorb Heaven and Earth Power at birth.
• Ning Qi discovered the Innate Sword Bone’s ability, Innate Divine Sword Qi, and planned to turn it into a secret art alongside the Eye of Truth before pursuing the enemy.
• After half a month of study, Ning Qi completed secret arts for both Innate Divine Sword Qi and the Eye of Truth.

Ning Qi tested the secret arts Innate Divine Sword Qi and Eye of Truth, then left the Seeking Dao Institute to investigate suspected Blood King Gu sites. He reached Blackstone City and headed toward the Black Stone Mountain Range after observing the town and secretly helping a swordsman.

• Ning Qi perfected the secret arts Innate Divine Sword Qi and Eye of Truth, then used the Eye of Truth to glimpse the terrifying blood-colored thunder in the Thunder Forbidden Zone.
• Luo Wentian brought Ning Qi intelligence about suspected Blood King Gu cultivation sites and warned him to put his safety first; he also told him Daoist Baishan had entered the Heaven-Human Realm.
• Ning Qi arranged matters for Yuan Tiansheng, left the Seeking Dao Institute, and traveled through snow-stricken cities toward the first suspected site near Blackstone City.
• Ning Qi listened for suspicious activity at an inn in Blackstone City and secretly strengthened a swordsman's sword with Sword Intent after the man defended Heavenly Sword Real Person.
• Ning Qi left the inn and set out for the Black Stone Mountain Range to investigate the possible Blood Pool.

Ning Qi followed clues to a Southern Border and Demonic Sect stronghold, discovered it was an ambush, and destroyed it before continuing his search for the Blood King Gu. After more than a month of dead ends, he sensed the Gang Yuan Sword Seed activate in Thunder Prefecture and feared Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua were in danger.

• Ning Qi followed three Southern Border agents into the Black Stone Mountain Range and watched them collect corpses from the Demonic Sect.
• Ning Qi infiltrated the guarded valley and realized the supposed Blood King Gu stronghold was a trap for Imperial Court investigators.
• Ning Qi killed the stronghold's Heaven-Human Realm experts and left its destruction for the Imperial Court to handle.
• Ning Qi spent more than a month investigating leads across several prefectures, destroying ambush sites and killing nine Heaven-Human Realm experts without finding the Blood King Gu.
• Ning Qi sensed the Gang Yuan Sword Seed activate in Thunder Prefecture and realized Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua might be in danger.

Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua were ambushed by Elder Ye and the Demonic Sect while living in seclusion in Yan Mountain, but Ning Qi’s jade pendants released Heavenly Sword Real Person’s Sword Qi and helped them fight back. After they wounded Elder Ye and fled deeper into the mountains, a White-haired Youth appeared in their path.

• Jiang Baishan told Lin Ruhua that Ning Qi had mastered the Suanni Stance in about a day, and they imagined a bright future for their unborn child.
• Elder Ye and a group of Demonic Sect martial artists surrounded Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua, demanding that Lin return and threatening her husband and unborn child.
• Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua tried to break through the encirclement, but Elder Ye struck them down until Ning Qi’s jade pendant shattered and its Sword Qi cut off one of Elder Ye’s arms.
• Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua fled through Yan Mountain, using Lin Ruhua’s jade pendant to bluff Elder Ye and buy time.
• Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua tricked Elder Ye with the broken pendant, then used the real pendant’s Sword Qi to cut away much of his body.
• As Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua prepared to escape, Elder Ye called for help, and a cold-faced White-haired Youth emerged from the jungle ahead.

Qin Yun chose to protect Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua rather than complete the Demonic Sect’s mission, killing Elder Ye and confronting Ghost Mask. He burned another four hundred years of lifespan to hold Ghost Mask back while the couple fled toward Thunder Prefecture City, where Ning Qi arrived to meet them.

• Qin Yun reunited with Jiang Baishan and learned about the True Martial Sect, then agreed to spare him and protect Lin Ruhua and their unborn child.
• When Elder Ye tried to attack Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua, Qin Yun killed him and told the couple to leave without revealing their meeting.
• Ghost Mask confronted Qin Yun, and Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua fled after Qin Yun urged them to go.
• Qin Yun endured Ghost Mask’s first attack, refused his offer to bring Jiang Baishan back, and burned four hundred years of lifespan to fight him.
• Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua fled toward Thunder Prefecture City, exhausted and badly injured, while fearing Qin Yun could not hold Ghost Mask back.
• Ning Qi arrived before Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua as they struggled to continue their escape.

Ning Qi reached Yan Mountain after rescuing Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua, only to learn Qin Yun had died fighting Ghost Mask. He overpowered and captured Ghost Mask, then opened Qin Yun’s grave, still hoping his eighth senior brother was alive.

• Ning Qi healed Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua, learned Qin Yun was battling Ghost Mask at Yan Mountain, and hurried there with them.
• Qin Yun exhausted his life force in a desperate fight, and Ghost Mask crushed him and buried his body.
• Ning Qi arrived with Jiang Baishan and Lin Ruhua, who saw Qin Yun’s grave and learned that Ghost Mask had killed him.
• Ning Qi revealed overwhelming power, defeated Ghost Mask, and restrained him for questioning about the Demonic Sect.
• Ning Qi opened Qin Yun’s grave because he refused to believe Qin Yun was dead without seeing him himself.

Ning Qi restored Qin Yun’s body and reignited his life-force with the Seed of Life, but Qin Yun’s lifespan was exhausted, so Ning Qi sealed him in ice until he could find a way to save him. Ning Qi returned to True Martial Mountain with Jiang Baishan, Lin Ruhua, Qin Yun, and Ghost Mask, and promised to question the Demonic Sect Vice Sect Leader.

• Ning Qi healed Qin Yun’s ruined body and used the Seed of Life to restore his life-force, but discovered that his lifespan was nearly gone.
• Ning Qi sealed Qin Yun in ice to preserve him and vowed to create a Longevity Art that could save him in the future.
• Ning Qi brought Jiang Baishan, Lin Ruhua, Qin Yun, and the sealed Ghost Mask back to True Martial Mountain.
• Jiang Baishan recounted Qin Yun’s sacrifice to Dragon Mountain Daoist, who placed Qin Yun in Bright Martial Pavilion and grieved over his condition.
• Ning Qi said he would take Ghost Mask to the Heart Inquiry Platform for questioning, and Jiang Baishan asked to receive him afterward.