Chapter Summaries

Su Ming told Chi Qian and the others about Hai'er’s growth and the pool of Purple Snow Sap Essence, then led the team away before others could investigate the battle. Hai'er remained concealed, while other teams arrived at the ruined cave and speculated about what had happened.

• Su Ming explained that Hai'er had matured after consuming Purple Snow Sap Essence and revealed that they had found a large pool of the treasure.
• Chi Qian, Mu Yan, Feng Qing'er, and Tong Xinyao wanted some of the essence, and Su Ming said they could discuss it after returning, hinting that the others would have to pay a price.
• Su Ming decided the team should leave the cave before other teams came to investigate, and told Hai'er to stay hidden until they could resolve her identity problem back in Tianfeng City.
• Hai'er concealed herself in mist, and Chi Qian and Mu Yan noticed her concealment had improved while Feng Qing'er and Tong Xinyao remarked that her personality had changed.
• Several teams arrived at the ruined battlefield, found the Giant Phantasmal Demon and the damaged cave, and speculated about what the fighters had been fighting over.

After discovering the aftermath of a battle in the cavern, Sin’s Vice-Leader learned that Shadow had sensed King Ming’s presence in the Extreme Night Maze. Shadow tracked him to the Azure Mercury camp and vowed to kill him.

• Sin’s Vice-Leader and Shadow left the bloodied cavern with Qingqing and the other Underground Professionals, heading toward the tenth floor.
• Shadow told Sin’s Vice-Leader that King Ming’s explosive Demonic Power residue was nearby and insisted on confronting him himself.
• Sin’s Vice-Leader agreed to let Shadow pursue King Ming, confident that Qingqing could handle any other threat.
• Su Ming and his companions returned to their riverside camp, abandoned Feng Qing’er’s burnt soup, and ate stored provisions.
• Shadow sensed Su Ming’s location near the Azure Mercury camp and rushed toward it, declaring that he would kill him.

Su Ming and the others left the increasingly dangerous sixth floor for the seventh, carrying the exhausted Tong Xinyao along. Crow reached their abandoned campsite too late and pursued them, only to find they had already descended.

• Su Ming sensed the sixth floor filling with demonic nature and warned Chi Qian and the others that powerful Phantom Demons were gathering.
• Su Ming and the group decided to leave for the seventh floor, taking turns carrying the exhausted Tong Xinyao.
• Crow arrived at the abandoned campsite, found traces of his target, and worried that the growing demonic nature would hide them.
• Crow resolved to find and kill Su Ming before Sin's operation began, fearing that King Ming and the Demon Emperor Sword could threaten the plan.
• Su Ming's group found a hollow-tree entrance and descended to the seventh floor; Crow arrived about twenty minutes later and found the entrance too late.

In the Extreme Night Maze, Qingqing and Lord Crow both claimed King Ming as their prey after Lord Crow sensed his presence, while the ruthless man worried that the Demon Emperor Sword’s chosen host could obstruct Sin. Outside the maze, officials learned the Wang Family had sent a pinnacle to investigate, and a convoy set out from Tianfeng City.

• Qingqing complained that the Professionals and Phantoms she had killed were weak, and the ruthless man promised her stronger prey deeper in the maze.
• Lord Crow returned without finding his opponent and said he would locate King Ming, whom the ruthless man confirmed was somewhere in the Extreme Night Maze.
• Qingqing eagerly claimed King Ming as a toy, but Lord Crow insisted King Ming was his prey, and Qingqing eventually walked away.
• The ruthless man reflected on the Demon Emperor Sword acknowledging King Ming and vowed that no one would stop Sin this time.
• Tianfeng City officials debated the massacre of the army and an S-class Team, then learned the Wang Family had sent a pinnacle to investigate.
• A streak of light and a convoy of off-road vehicles and armed helicopters left Tianfeng City heading north.

Su Ming’s group spent three days searching the ninth floor of the Extreme Night Maze and found valuable materials, including Seven-Colored Eye, which could be refined into a powerful Divine Grade potion. After showcasing his strength to defeat its guardian, Su Ming prepared to take the group to the tenth floor on the seventh day.

• Su Ming halted the group on the ninth floor and ordered them to search for rare treasures.
• Over three days, the group collected valuable materials, including Crimson Flow Crystal and Seven-Colored Eye.
• Su Ming defeated the Hazard Breed guarding the Seven-Colored Eye in ten seconds, revealing his full combat strength to the girls of Azure Mercury.
• Su Ming considered consuming the Purple Snow Sap Essence but decided to study it after leaving the maze.
• On the seventh day, Su Ming prepared to gather with the others on the tenth floor.

Su Ming and the Azure Mercury team reached the Layer Ten camp established by Summer Chasing Smoke ahead of a Rank SS mission. Wang Di welcomed them and explained that most teams, including Jade Dragon Pavilion and Iron Rose, had yet to arrive because the powerful A-class teams were still gathering resources.

• Su Ming led Chi Qian, Mu Yan, Feng Qing'er, and Tong Xinyao to the camp after reminding them that he and Hai'er could protect them or help them retreat.
• Two Summer Chasing Smoke guards verified Su Ming's identity and let the Azure Mercury team enter the camp.
• Wang Di welcomed the team and said Xu Xiayan was confirming the mission plans before the operation began.
• Wang Di reported that only two B-class teams and Azure Mercury had arrived, while Jade Dragon Pavilion and Iron Rose were still absent.
• Chi Qian and Mu Yan explained that the larger A-class teams were likely splitting up to gather resources and would arrive closer to the deadline.

Su Ming and Chi Qian joined the leaders of the assembled teams to hear the details of the Rank SS mission. As Xu Xiayan prepared to begin, the powerful Qiao Liang and Zhu Qian noticed Su Ming, whose composure on the demonic tenth floor had unintentionally revealed that he was far stronger than his official records suggested.

• The leaders and vice-leaders of Jade Dragon Pavilion and Iron Rose arrived at the tenth-floor camp just before nightfall and met Xu Xiayan.
• A messenger summoned Su Ming and Chi Qian to the central tent, where the team leaders gathered for a confidential briefing on the Rank SS mission.
• Su Ming observed Qiao Liang of Jade Dragon Pavilion and Zhu Qian of Iron Rose, both formidable Six-Star Professionals, while they and others studied him.
• Xu Xiayan realized Su Ming's calmness amid the tenth floor's demonic influence showed that he was much stronger than his recorded One-Star rank.
• More attendees filled the tent, and Xu Xiayan stood to begin the meeting.

Xu Xiayan explained that the Rank SS mission was to help Tianfeng City repair the seal on the Chaos Demon Den, the world’s greatest threat. She revealed that the seal had a problem that had always existed, leaving the team to face the truth about the fragile barrier protecting humanity.

• Xu Xiayan thanked the assembled teams for joining the Summer Chasing Smoke operation and invited them to sit.
• Qiao Zhi and Zhu Yun asked Xu Xiayan to explain the Rank SS mission.
• Xu Xiayan revealed that the mission concerned the Chaos Demon Den, alarming the assembled leaders.
• Xu Xiayan explained that the mission was to help Tianfeng City repair the Chaos Demon Den’s seal.
• Chi Qian questioned how the forbidden seal could have developed a problem, and Xu Xiayan confirmed that it had one that had always existed.

Xu Xiayan explained the history of the Chaos Demon Den’s damaged seal and revealed that Summer Chasing Smoke’s Rank SS mission was to find Golden Silk Dream Demon Thread on the Extreme Night Maze’s tenth floor. She ended by pointing out that the floor was unusual because they had not encountered a single Phantom Demon.

• Xu Xiayan recounted how a Spirit Fiend Abyss King once broke the Chaos Demon Den’s seal and devastated Tianfeng City before humanity sealed it at great cost.
• Xu Xiayan explained that the seal now had gaps and required maintenance every sixty years, with the next effort due the following year.
• Xu Xiayan revealed that Summer Chasing Smoke had accepted a Rank SS commission to find rare Golden Silk Dream Demon Thread for mending the seal.
• Xu Xiayan showed the team the treasure and explained that the tenth floor of the Extreme Night Maze was a likely place for it to grow.
• Qiao Zhi and Zhu Yun questioned why Xu Xiayan had gathered so many powerful teams for a search mission.
• Xu Xiayan noted that the tenth floor was different from the floors above because they had not seen any Phantom Demons, and Su Ming recognized the same anomaly.

Xu Xiayan revealed that the tenth floor of the Extreme Night Maze was the territory of a Mutated Nightmare Breed, a former general of the Spirit Fiend Abyss King who had invaded the surface world. She explained that it remained gravely injured, and that Tianfeng City had tasked her with verifying its condition before sending forces to eliminate it.

• The teams questioned why no Phantom Demons had appeared on the tenth floor, and Xu Xiayan explained that one powerful Phantom Demon had driven all the others away.
• Xu Xiayan identified the lone Phantom Demon as a Mutated Nightmare Breed, prompting the gathered Professionals to fear for their lives.
• Qiao Liang and others confronted Xu Xiayan for withholding the danger, while she clarified that her mission was not to make them fight it.
• Xu Xiayan revealed that the creature had invaded the surface world alongside the Terror Breed Spirit Fiend Abyss King and had been badly wounded by human forces.
• Xu Xiayan explained that Tianfeng City tracked the creature to the Extreme Night Maze half a year earlier and had asked her to confirm its injuries before deciding whether to send forces to kill it.

Xu Xiayan explained why Tianfeng City had sent them to investigate the injured Mutated Nightmare Breed and divided the teams between searching for Golden Silk Dream Demon Thread and investigating the creature. All eleven teams agreed to stay, but after the action plan was set, Xu Xiayan worried that her special Alchemy Tool could not contact the outside world.

• Xu Xiayan explained that Tianfeng City's leaders had delayed deciding whether to subjugate the Mutated Nightmare Breed and sent the teams to investigate while gathering Golden Silk Dream Demon Thread.
• Xu Xiayan proposed splitting the teams into a large search party and a smaller investigation team made up of their strongest fighters.
• Su Ming comforted Chi Qian as she reflected on True Red's past losses and admired Xu Xiayan's cautious leadership.
• None of the eleven teams withdrew, and Xu Xiayan spent the rest of the night arranging the operation with their leaders.
• After the other leaders left, Xu Xiayan told Wang Di that she was concerned because even her special Alchemy Tool could not contact the outside world.

Xu Xiayan organized the Professionals into a massive search for the Golden Silk Dream Demon Thread and a smaller scouting team to investigate the Mutated Nightmare Breed. At the canyon entrance, the Six-Star Professionals prepared to enter first, while Wang Di and Wang Qian questioned why Su Ming and Tong Xinyao had joined them.

• Xu Xiayan gathered the teams and divided them into a treasure-hunting force of more than a thousand Low-level Professionals and a scouting team of more than sixty High-level Professionals.
• The treasure-hunting teams spread across the tenth level to search for the Golden Silk Dream Demon Thread, while the scouting team headed to a canyon filled with thin black fog.
• Xu Xiayan announced that everyone except the Six-Star Professionals would wait outside while the strongest entered to investigate the Mutated Nightmare Breed.
• Xu Xiayan, Wang Di, Wang Qian, Qiao Liang, Zhu Qian, Su Ming, and Chi Qian stepped forward to enter the canyon.
• Wang Di and Wang Qian questioned Su Ming's presence, while Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan carried instruments to assist with the investigation.

Su Ming and Tong Xinyao revealed that they could both use advanced Spiritual Arts, silencing the gathered Professionals and securing their place on Xu Xiayan’s mission. The group prepared to set out against the mutated Nightmare Breed, hoping the two Warlocks’ power could give them a chance to fight.

• Chi Qian announced that Su Ming and Tong Xinyao could use advanced Spiritual Arts, and Tong Xinyao demonstrated seven arrays by preparing Green Vine Breath.
• The gathered Professionals recognized Tong Xinyao’s talent, while Xu Xiayan asked Su Ming if he could also use an advanced Spiritual Art.
• Su Ming displayed seven arrays, dispelling doubts about his abilities and leaving Qiao Zhi, Wang Di, Wang Qian, and the Bai Family Hunters astonished.
• Chi Qian asked whether anyone still objected to Su Ming and Tong Xinyao joining them, and the crowd fell silent.
• Xu Xiayan accepted Su Ming and Tong Xinyao’s help and ordered everyone to set out against the mutated Nightmare Breed.

Su Ming and the team entered the canyon at the center of the Extreme Night Maze’s tenth level to investigate the Mutated Nightmare Breed, with Su Ming using his Spiritual Power to help Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan endure the dense demonic nature. In the basin, they discovered countless corpses recreated from the blood of the Hell Beast and finally saw the wounded, sleeping creature surrounded by them.

• Su Ming used his Spiritual Power to disperse the demonic nature invading Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan, allowing them to continue into the canyon.
• Xu Xiayan distributed premium Alchemy Potions that concealed the group’s auras as they stealthily advanced toward the basin.
• Su Ming’s spirituality warned him of a terrifying presence ahead, but the group pressed on toward the basin despite their unease.
• The team found countless human and Phantom Demon corpses wandering together, and Xu Xiayan explained that the Hell Beast recreated forms of lives whose blood it had absorbed.
• Wang Qian spotted the Hell Beast lying wounded and asleep at the basin’s deepest point, surrounded by the walking corpses.

Su Ming and the others approached the sleeping Hell Beast through a basin filled with powerful walking corpses. They reached a sheltered spot a hundred meters away, where Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan began setting up reconnaissance equipment.

• Xu Xiayan explained that the walking corpses would remain inactive while the Hell Beast slept, and the group agreed to approach it.
• Su Ming sensed tens of thousands of corpses with formidable auras and resolved to be ready to retreat if the Hell Beast awoke.
• Xu Xiayan led the group into the basin, while Su Ming and Chi Qian encouraged and protected the frightened Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan.
• The group carefully passed human and Phantom Demon corpses without provoking them and reached a spot near the Hell Beast.
• Xu Xiayan stopped the group at a mountain wall exactly a hundred meters from the Hell Beast, and Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan set up the instruments.

While Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan set up Alchemy Weapons, Su Ming examined the wounded Hell Beast and discussed humanity’s past hunters with Xu Xiayan, who questioned his true strength. The chapter ended when Su Ming sensed danger and pulled Xu Xiayan into hiding as sharp sounds tore through the air.

• Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan activated their Alchemy Weapons while the others kept watch and recorded the Hell Beast.
• Su Ming approached the Hell Beast and saw its wounds spawn humans and Phantom Demons from its blood.
• Xu Xiayan explained that Seven-star Professionals had likely wounded the Hell Beast, then suggested Su Ming might reach their level.
• Xu Xiayan asked whether Su Ming was already a High-level Professional, but he told her to guess while Chi Qian privately recognized his exceptional strength.
• Su Ming sensed danger, dragged Xu Xiayan behind the mountain wall, and the group heard sharp sounds rushing toward them.

Underground Professionals awakened the Hell Beast, and Qingqing attacked it with the divine weapon Blade of Great Sin. As the battle raged, the blade’s power stirred the Demon Emperor Sword inside Su Ming, which he struggled to keep sealed.

• More than a hundred Underground Professionals arrived at the basin, and Qingqing provoked the sleeping Hell Beast until it awoke and the walking corpses attacked.
• The ruthless man ordered the Underground Professionals to hold back the walking corpses while the Hell Beast rose and roared across the battlefield.
• Qingqing drew the Blade of Great Sin and unleashed a devastating torrent that overwhelmed the Hell Beast, leaving Su Ming and the others stunned.
• The Blade of Great Sin stirred the Demon Emperor Sword inside Su Ming, and he used the Blue Demon Peace Ring to suppress it as his hand grew hotter and his eyes reddened.

As Qingqing overwhelmed the Hell Beast with the Blade of Great Sin, Su Ming nearly released the Demon Emperor Sword’s restraints before Hai’er awakened him. Qingqing’s power then spiraled out of control, but the vicious man stopped her and ordered his forces to capture the weakened Hell Beast alive, leaving Su Ming and the others wondering what “Sin” planned to do with it.

• Qingqing battered the injured Hell Beast with the Blade of Great Sin while the Underground Professionals fought its reanimated blood forms.
• Watching the divine artifact’s power stirred Su Ming’s desire to remove the Blue Demon Peace Ring, but Hai’er’s voice brought him back to his senses before the Demon Emperor Sword could control him.
• Qingqing’s mind deteriorated as she attacked recklessly, killing several Underground Professionals and gathering power for a potentially world-destroying strike.
• Su Ming activated Pattern Sight and prepared to stop Qingqing, but the vicious man shocked her with a polyhedral crystal and ordered her to stand down.
• The Hell Beast collapsed, and the people of “Sin” bound it with chains and began capturing it alive, puzzling Su Ming and the others.

Su Ming and his companions were discovered by Crow and confronted Li Wu, the Seven-Star Vice-Leader of 'Evil,' who said his forces had attacked their allies outside. The group tried to escape, but Li Wu sealed the basin’s only exit, leaving everyone trapped as the assault began and Crow faced Su Ming.

• Crow discovered Su Ming and the others hiding inside the mountain wall, and they emerged to confront 'Evil.'
• Li Wu identified himself as 'Evil's' Vice-Leader and said his forces had killed those who tried to stop them outside, while Su Ming confirmed the Contract Scrolls showed Mu Yan and the others were still alive.
• Xu Xiayan ordered the group to flee, but Li Wu smashed the mountain wall at the basin’s entrance and blocked their only exit.
• Li Wu held the exit while 'Evil' launched an assault on the trapped Tianfeng City Professionals.
• Crow confronted Su Ming with overwhelming killing intent while Su Ming remained in place, watching him with a cold light in his eyes.

Su Ming confronted Lord Crow again in the northern wonderland, and their renewed battle revealed how much Su Ming had grown in the past three months. After Su Ming wounded Lord Crow and endured his counterattack, Lord Crow realized Su Ming had advanced to Six-Star Hunter.

• Lord Crow recognized Su Ming as King Ming and said he had survived their previous battle with help from a protective item and the Vice-Leader.
• Lord Crow attacked at full strength with his repaired Ivangel gauntlets, but Su Ming blocked his opening strike with a punch.
• Su Ming drew his Alchemical Long Saber and cut through Lord Crow's barrage, piercing his right shoulder.
• Lord Crow struck Su Ming in the chest and sent him flying, but Su Ming recovered with little apparent injury.
• Lord Crow and the others were stunned, and Lord Crow asked whether Su Ming had already advanced to Six-Star Hunter.