Chapter Summaries

At a press conference, Zhang Guangmu claimed to possess half of the Crimson Lotus Swordplay and hinted that he would confront Lin Chimou for the other half, drawing the sects’ attention to Feihong’s revived ceremony. Twelve hours later, the Demon Sect’s stronghold was massacred and left covered in corpses and blood.

• Zhang Guangmu told reporters that he possessed half of the Crimson Lotus Swordplay and urged Lin Chimou to prepare for his arrival.
• Li Xiaoxiao worried that the growing rumors would attract dangerous rivals, while Zhang Guangmu intended to use them as bait and disrupt his opponents’ plans.
• Tang Lanshan announced that Feihong would address the Crimson Lotus Swordplay at the Original Crown Mountain Ancestor Worship Ceremony the following night.
• Sects across the planet began anticipating the ceremony, while the Demon Sect refused to explain itself or acknowledge the Crimson Lotus Swordplay.
• Twelve hours later, the Demon Sect’s stronghold was brutally massacred and turned into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

Lin Chimou fought through the coalition that destroyed the Demon Sect, then decided to flee and survive so he could uncover the secrets surrounding his rise. As the attackers pursued him, Jonah Ackerman prepared to attend the Feihong Sect’s Ancestor Worship Ceremony and meet Zhang Guangmu, whom Hans Dekson warned was overwhelmingly dangerous.

• The gathered sects and families attacked the Demon Sect, while Lin Chimou used two spirit swords and techniques he had stolen to cut through their forces.
• Lin Chimou saw the Demon Sect’s defenders and leaders fall, realized the coalition would destroy the sect for its spoils, and chose to escape alone.
• Lin Chimou’s battle strength reached the Sword Emperor level, and Jonah Ackerman observed that the era now had five Sword Emperors, counting Zhang Guangmu.
• Jonah Ackerman revealed that he had planted a tracker in Lin Chimou and had arranged to pursue him.
• Jonah Ackerman planned to attend the Feihong Sect’s Ancestor Worship Ceremony, while Hans Dekson warned that Zhang Guangmu could kill him if he chose.

Jonah Ackerman and Hans Dekson assessed Zhang Guangmu’s concealed intelligence and prepared to confront him at the Feihong Sect ancestor worship ceremony. Zhang Guangmu offered the gathered heroes a chance to read his half of the Crimson Lotus Swordplay if they could withstand one sword from him using thirty percent of his power.

• Jonah Ackerman warned Hans Dekson that Zhang Guangmu was as clever as he was powerful, and said he feared Lin An’s hidden abilities and the changing rules of the world.
• Jonah Ackerman revealed that he had contacted heroes from every faction and prepared three plans to control Zhang Guangmu.
• The major sects and many famous swordsmen gathered at Original Crown Mountain for the Feihong Sect ancestor worship ceremony.
• After the ceremony, Fahui asked Zhang Guangmu what the Buddhist Sect must offer to borrow the Crimson Lotus Swordplay.
• Zhang Guangmu said anyone could read the swordplay if they could take one sword from him while he used thirty percent of his power.

At the Feihong Sect’s ancestor-worship ceremony, Zhang Guangmu began the Crimson Lotus trial by challenging the assembled heroes to withstand a single sword strike. He unleashed Star Proliferation, leaving the heroes facing a seemingly overwhelming attack.

• Chu Fan announced that Yuanguan Mountain would host the temporary Crimson Lotus trial, while many sword-wielding spectators stayed behind hoping to survive Zhang Guangmu’s strike and learn the swordplay.
• Tang Lanshan’s preparations included ten observation platforms built by the Earthwood Sword Sect, and order-maintenance personnel escorted unarmed spectators to safety.
• Zhang Guangmu rose into the sky and used his aura to knock out more than half of those who had remained, screening out people too weak to withstand his attack.
• Zhang Guangmu told the remaining heroes he would strike only once, then swung the Mirage Sword and invoked Star Proliferation.
• Crimson lotuses formed in the air and descended toward the swordsmen, whose fear and scorched skin made them realize the danger of Zhang Guangmu’s power.

Zhang Guangmu unleashed Star Proliferation, devastating the gathered swordsmen and killing Hans Dekson and Jonah Ackerman. The survivors realized he had now angered two Sword Emperors, while Jonah died lamenting that absolute violence surpassed every scheme.

• Zhang Guangmu's Star Proliferation shattered spirit swords and badly injured most of the swordsmen facing him; Sorrowful Sword recognized that Zhang had held back.
• Hans Dekson cursed Jonah Ackerman for bringing him back into danger, regretted becoming Zhang Guangmu's enemy, and died from his injuries.
• Jonah Ackerman sensed that Zhang Guangmu's sword technique drew Spirit Sword Power from the people and swords around him.
• Zhang Guangmu's Crimson Lotus Sword Light entered Jonah's mind and killed him before he could reveal Lin An's secret.
• The surviving heroes realized that Zhang Guangmu had now offended two Sword Emperors.

After defeating the assembled heroes with a single sword, Zhang Guangmu let Liu Huangting borrow the Crimson Lotus Swordplay and asked the heroes to shut down noncompliant swordsmanship rooms. He then announced that he would publish a free, accessible Basic Swordsmanship guide for enthusiasts worldwide.

• The guardian monk, Fahui, and Liu Huangting acknowledged Zhang Guangmu’s overwhelming strength after he struck them with one sword.
• Liu Huangting asked to borrow the Crimson Lotus Swordplay, and Zhang Guangmu said the heroes could do so if they abolished noncompliant swordsmanship rooms.
• Chu Fan explained that Zhang Guangmu wanted to spare others the hardships he had suffered, while Tang Lanshan recognized the connection to his past debt and experience with predatory swordsmanship rooms.
• Zhang Guangmu summoned a red booklet and tossed the Crimson Lotus Swordplay to Liu Huangting, allowing the assembled heroes to borrow it.
• Zhang Guangmu announced plans to publish a free, easy-to-understand Basic Swordsmanship guide in print and digital form.

Zhang Guangmu gave Liu Huangting a convincing but deliberately tangled copy of Crimson Lotus Swordplay, winning the assembled heroes’ admiration for his apparent generosity. As the heroes set out to find Zhao Zhengrong, Zhang Guangmu worried about the hostile production team behind the coming film, The Path of the Great Emperor.

• Liu Huangting warned Zhang Guangmu that sharing Crimson Lotus Swordplay could let enemies learn his techniques, but Zhang said stronger swordsmen would help advance Sword Dao.
• Liu Huangting examined the manual and declared it a profound Sword Dao treasure, then praised Zhang Guangmu’s breadth of spirit.
• Zhang Guangmu told the assembled heroes they could borrow and copy the manual, and they agreed to take turns with it.
• The heroes decided to travel together to find Zhao Zhengrong, while Tang Lanshan, Chu Fan, and Li Xiaoxiao handled arrangements.
• Zhang Guangmu reflected on the danger posed by the hostile production team for The Path of the Great Emperor, then went alone to the rear mountain after the ceremony.
• The Little White Balls debated whether Zhang Guangmu’s apparent selflessness reflected his true nature and joked that he was so ferocious even evil ghosts would tattoo him onto their bodies.

Zhang Guangmu received a Usable Ability Point and saw a vision of himself bestowing the Crimson Lotus Swordplay upon martial heroes. After Li Xiaoxiao, Chu Fan, and Tang Lanshan found him in the mountains, Buddha Sect Sword Emperor Qiao Man appeared before them, seeking the man who had killed his adoptive son, Jonah Ackerman.

• Zhang Guangmu overheard the Little White Balls discuss the unusually fierce competition in this year's 'The Path of the Great Emperor.'
• Zhang Guangmu received a Usable Ability Point and saw a vision of himself throwing down a scroll of the Crimson Lotus Swordplay to martial heroes.
• The heroes who received the Crimson Lotus Swordplay praised Zhang Guangmu before departing, and he saved his new point for later.
• Li Xiaoxiao, Chu Fan, and Tang Lanshan found Zhang Guangmu in the mountains because they feared Lin An might assassinate him.
• Buddha Light appeared, revealing Buddha Sect Sword Emperor Qiao Man, and Li Xiaoxiao, Chu Fan, and Tang Lanshan drew their spirit swords when they recognized him as Jonah Ackerman's adoptive father.

Zhang Guangmu rejected Qiao Man’s urgent appeal for help against Demon Emperor Lin An and exposed the truth about Qiao Man’s connection to Jonah Ackerman. He left the alliance offer unanswered, instead asking to inspect the Jialan Sword because he sensed a power resembling Lin Chimou’s.

• Tang Lanshan and Chu Fan retreated from the fight, but Li Xiaoxiao stepped beside Zhang Guangmu to face Qiao Man.
• Qiao Man praised Zhang Guangmu, warned that Lin An was stronger than the Sword Emperors, and asked him to join forces against the demons.
• Zhang Guangmu dismissed Qiao Man’s formal appeal and said he wanted to go home and eat with Chu Fan.
• Qiao Man revealed that Jonah Ackerman’s death had awakened him from a nightmare, and Zhang Guangmu explained that the Buddha Emperor Sword had once been called the Jialan Sword and that Qiao Man and Jonah shared a soul.
• Qiao Man called Lin An the Sword Control Demon and renewed his invitation to cooperate, but Zhang Guangmu asked to examine the Jialan Sword, sensing power like Lin Chimou’s.

Zhang Guangmu rejected Qiao Man’s deceptive offer of cooperation after exposing his lies and recognizing a deadly threat attached to him. As black lines spread across Qiao Man’s body and his Spirit Sword turned against him, Zhang Guangmu carried Li Xiaoxiao, Chu Fan, and Tang Lanshan away.

• Qiao Man refused to lend Zhang Guangmu his natal Spirit Sword and considered whether Zhang Guangmu’s warning about Lin Chimou was true.
• Chu Fan realized that Qiao Man and Spring Return Sword Jonah Ackerman were the same person, prompting Qiao Man to renew his offer of cooperation.
• Qiao Man admitted some responsibility for Jonah Ackerman’s schemes but concealed that he was an auxiliary body, and Zhang Guangmu saw through his deception.
• Zhang Guangmu revealed that the Soul-Binding Sword Sheath’s power had been embedded in Qiao Man and would counter his divided soul.
• Black lines appeared across Qiao Man’s body, his Jialan Sword turned against him, and Zhang Guangmu used the Sword Net to carry Li Xiaoxiao, Chu Fan, and Tang Lanshan away.

Qiao Man died from Lin An’s hidden attack after warning Zhang Guangmu that Lin An planned to kill Zhao Zhengrong and destroy the world. Lin An appeared through an incarnation and challenged Zhang Guangmu to save the Dao Sect Sword Emperor before he could carry out the World Destruction Plan.

• Qiao Man failed to suppress the black lines spreading through his body and warned the others to save Zhao Zhengrong and alert the Feihong Sect before he died.
• The black net tore Qiao Man and the surrounding area apart, while the Jialan Sword disintegrated.
• Tang Lanshan, Chu Fan, and Li Xiaoxiao reacted to Qiao Man’s death and looked to Zhang Guangmu for direction.
• Zhang Guangmu deduced that the Demonic Sect had secretly supported the Luoxas Laboratory’s soul research and exposed the attack as Lin An’s plan.
• Lin An’s incarnation appeared, admitted that Dark Annihilation had been intended for Zhang Guangmu, and declared his plan to kill Zhao Zhengrong before destroying all intelligent life in the world.
• Lin An challenged Zhang Guangmu to race to save Zhao Zhengrong, then melted away.

Zhang Guangmu and his allies rushed to Wudang, where they arrived too late to prevent Lin An from fatally wounding Zhao Zhengrong. Before dying, Zhao Zhengrong revealed the Soul-Binding Sword Sheath’s history and passed his Spirit Sword to Zhang Guangmu, prompting Lin An to recognize a Daoist Scripture Evolution.

• Zhang Guangmu persuaded Chu Fan and the others to head for Wudang, then led them to the mountain as Lin An’s forces overwhelmed the Dao Sect.
• Zhao Zhengrong, battered and near death, challenged Lin An’s reasons for seeking to destroy humanity, but Lin An denied his guesses and prepared to kill him.
• Zhang Guangmu arrived at the Golden Summit and intercepted Lin An’s attack, but Zhao Zhengrong was already exhausted and mortally wounded.
• Zhao Zhengrong told Zhang Guangmu that the Soul-Binding Sword Sheath came from a lightning-struck locust tree beneath which three ancient Sword Emperors died, and that it was now held by Lin Chimou.
• Zhao Zhengrong gave Zhang Guangmu his cracked stone Spirit Sword and died with a smile; pure Spirit Sword Power flowed into Zhang Guangmu as Lin An identified the transmission as Daoist Scripture Evolution.

Zhang Guangmu absorbed Zhao Zhengrong’s Spirit Sword Transmission and reached Martial Arts (Plutonium), then defeated Lin An’s incarnation. Lin An warned that his main body would destroy Zhang Guangmu and reveal the truth, leaving Zhang Guangmu to burn the incarnation to ashes.

• Lin An taunted Zhang Guangmu while he absorbed the energy of the stone sword, and Zhang Guangmu accused Lin An of having planned to strike before the attack on Wudang Mountain disrupted him.
• Zhang Guangmu completed the transmission, shattered the stone sword, and seized Lin An at a speed beyond human perception.
• Zhang Guangmu realized Lin An was an incarnation and refined him into a sheet of paper, raising his achievement to Martial Arts (Plutonium).
• Lin An survived as a two-dimensional figure and explained that luck had helped Zhao Zhengrong live long enough to complete the transmission.
• Zhang Guangmu suggested that he had influenced the wandering martial artists’ decision to come to Wudang Mountain, and Lin An acknowledged that he had underestimated him.
• Lin An told Zhang Guangmu that his main body would reveal the truth before destroying him, then asked to be killed, and Zhang Guangmu burned the page to ashes.

Lin An continued his slaughter of the martial world, and his sons Lin Zitong and Lin Chimou died confronting him. Lin Chimou revealed that Lin An had turned himself into a robot, and Zhang Guangmu arrived to face him.

• Lin Zitong confronted Lin An over his plan to kill humanity, stabbed him through the heart, and was killed by his eighty-eight flying swords.
• Lin Chimou accused Lin An of killing Zitong and tried to attack him, but Lin An took his sword and sheath and erased him.
• Before dying, Lin Chimou shouted that Lin An had turned himself into a robot and was no longer human.
• Zhang Guangmu appeared beside Lin An, who recognized him as the only opponent capable of causing him trouble.

Lin An, the Demonic Sect Sword Emperor, revealed to Zhang Guangmu that he suspected their world was an artificial story, after becoming a Sword Corpse with a body made of spirit swords. He left Zhang Guangmu with his doubts about whether his memories, loved ones, and ideals were truly his own.

• Lin An explained that only his brain remained human and demonstrated how his finger could turn into a flying sword.
• Zhang Guangmu questioned Lin An about his wife's death and how Lin Chimou had chosen an extreme path.
• Lin An said he believed the world might be an anime, television series, movie, or game, and wondered whether his wife had truly been alive and whether his own character had been imposed on him.
• Lin An recalled that his wife’s death led him to seek a cure for Spirit Sword Power, but he instead discovered a way to use it to harm others.
• Zhang Guangmu realized that Lin An had independently recognized the artificial nature of the world of Sword, Fame, and Fortune.

Lin An revealed that he had sensed time stop and concluded that gods controlled the world, while Zhang Guangmu explained the gods’ influence and showed him evidence that their lives had been arranged like parts of a sword. The chapter ended with Zhang Guangmu calling the cryptic document an “easter egg,” a possible exception to the gods’ control.

• Lin An described sensing time shatter during the Golden Autumn Sword Competition and said he believed gods created and controlled the world.
• Zhang Guangmu told Lin An that the gods also observed events and influenced people’s choices through deceptive inner voices.
• Zhang Guangmu summoned Cao Guan and explained that he had investigated the world’s rules for forging spirit swords and uncovered erased records about Cao Han.
• Zhang Guangmu gave Lin An a page listing people as a scabbard, sword embryos, a sword knower, and grinding stones, prompting Lin An to rage at the gods.
• Zhang Guangmu said the page represented the one possibility of escape from fate and called it an easter egg.

Zhang Guangmu rejected Lin An’s extreme plan and proposed using cryogenic hibernation to bring the world of Sword, Fame and Fortune to an end. After Lin An willingly let Zhang Guangmu devour him and his legion, Zhang Guangmu reached the 8th Tier of the Martial Way Transcendent system and froze the world with a final sword strike.

• Zhang Guangmu explained to Lin An that Chu Fan, Li Xiaoxiao, and Tang Lanshan were already in suspended animation, and proposed that they both enter cryogenic hibernation to stop everyone on the bonus list.
• Lin An agreed that Zhang Guangmu’s gentler approach was more thorough, then offered himself and his legion as nourishment to strengthen Zhang Guangmu.
• Zhang Guangmu used Annihilation to erase Lin An and absorb him into the Sword Net, then knocked Cao Guan unconscious.
• After devouring Lin An and the Sword Control Demon legion, Zhang Guangmu’s Sword Net reached a perfect state and he advanced to the 8th Tier of the Martial Way Transcendent system.
• Zhang Guangmu slashed the sky with the Mirage Sword, tearing through the heavens and bringing the world of Sword, Fame and Fortune to a freeze.

After completing “Sword, Fame, and Fortune,” Zhang Guangmu returned to the real world with an Excellent final evaluation and discovered that he had reached the Transcendent rank of Perseverance. He then learned he had become the Empire’s newest Dragon General, but remained focused on becoming a recognized Subconscious Film Emperor through the upcoming “The Path of the Great Emperor.”

• Zhang Guangmu received Above Excellent from Dao, Excellent from Buddha, and Good from Confucianism for “Sword, Fame, and Fortune.”
• Zhang Guangmu discovered that his achievement rank was Martial Arts (Perseverance), revealing the name of the eighth Transcendent rank.
• Zhang Guangmu accepted a 697-Dragon-Shield appearance-fee transfer and considered treating his companions to a meal before the great battle.
• Zhang Guangmu received a 10,000-Dragon-Shield commendation after rising from eighteenth to first on the Fantasy Dragon General Ranking.
• Zhang Guangmu resolved to pursue the Subconscious Film Emperor title through the upcoming “The Path of the Great Emperor.”

Zhang Guangmu prepared for The Path of the Great Emperor by holding an extravagant joint birthday celebration for Zhao Zhengrong and Tang Lanshan. At the feast, Li Zhou warned the group about the dangers of the event, and Mooncake transformed from a cat into a human girl in Zhang Guangmu’s arms.

• Zhang Guangmu proposed an advance joint birthday celebration for Zhao Zhengrong and Tang Lanshan before The Path of the Great Emperor began.
• Lian Youwei arranged a lavish banquet, which grew into a gathering of industry figures and Subconscious Actors.
• Li Zhou drunkenly revealed that The Path of the Great Emperor was a manifested fantasy plane and urged everyone to do their best to survive.
• Luo Zhuan estimated that Zhang Guangmu could reach the five-star Subconscious Actor level after earning thirteen more Excellent evaluations.
• Mooncake radiated pale-white light in Zhang Guangmu’s arms and transformed into a young girl.

Mooncake transformed into a human girl after her Myriad Manifestations ability absorbed Huang Yuwen’s Second Body, and Zhang Guangmu kept the truth guarded while naming her power. The group learned that The Path of the Great Emperor would award six times the standard career experience, leaving Zhang Guangmu hopeful that an Above Excellent evaluation could complete his career at once.

• Jiang Ling and the others reacted with shock when Mooncake transformed into a human girl, and Zhang Guangmu claimed Tian Guang’s Flame was responsible.
• Zhang Guangmu realized Mooncake could copy other people’s Supernatural Powers, named her ability Myriad Manifestations, and suspected she had copied Huang Yuwen’s Second Body.
• Zhao Zhengrong and Li Xiaoxiao discussed Zhang Guangmu’s progress toward five stars, and Li revealed that this Path of the Great Emperor would grant six times the standard career experience and compensation.
• After Jiang Ling revived Chu Fan with a pill, he called the Path of the Great Emperor humanity’s greatest crisis and opportunity, and the others agreed.
• Zhang Guangmu calculated that he might need only three to five more Above Excellent evaluations, while Li Xiaoxiao suggested an Above Excellent final evaluation could complete his career immediately.