Chapter Summaries

Meng Zhao faced the evil weapon’s spiritual assault as it tempted him with power, wealth, authority, and a path to Human-Weapon Communion. While those on the ritual altar watched without intervening, the chapter left Meng Zhao confronting an offer that could fulfill his greatest ambition.

• Mo Li explained that forcibly subduing the evil weapon was dangerous, while the others recognized Meng Zhao might be testing their loyalty and chose not to act.
• Meng Zhao endured an assault that plunged him into darkness while the evil weapon whispered temptations in his ear.
• The evil weapon urged Meng Zhao to embrace his evil thoughts and fuse his intent with its own through Human-Weapon Communion.
• The weapon promised Meng Zhao immense power, rule over the Divine Continent, and a chance to reach the Heavenly Being and Divine Demon Supreme Being realms.

Meng Zhao resisted the evil weapon’s attempt to force him onto the Demonic Path and used the Immovable Wisdom King Subduing Demon Great Hand Seal to drive out its demonic influence. His Buddhist power overwhelmed the evil weapon’s will, leaving it trembling like it had met its natural nemesis.

• The evil weapon tempted Meng Zhao with rapid power and the chance to become the world’s greatest demon lord, but he rejected the path because it did not accord with his true heart.
• The evil weapon abandoned its promises and forcefully suppressed Meng Zhao’s mind as his purple divine radiance weakened.
• Meng Zhao relied on the Heaven-Illuminating Divine Mirror, Emperor Yu Battle Armor, and his divine skills to resist the demonic will.
• Meng Zhao cast aside the Heavenly Evil Battle Casket and formed the Subduing Demon Seal, summoning a golden Buddha manifestation behind him.
• Golden Swastika Light Wheels formed a kasaya around Meng Zhao and burned away the demonic qi, causing the evil weapon to tremble.

Meng Zhao used a powerful Buddhist skill to suppress the evil weapon, impressing the ritual altar’s witnesses. The weapon then transformed into a black Evil Dragon and corrupted Meng Zhao’s body and Buddhist power, while a hateful dark version of him appeared in his Sea of Consciousness.

• Mo Li praised Meng Zhao’s Buddhist Supreme Skill, and Yuan Qing explained that Meng Zhao had trained at Great Compassion Temple for ten years.
• The crowd concluded that Meng Zhao’s Buddhist cultivation and deep foundations would let him pass the trial.
• The evil weapon transformed into a nine-jointed black Evil Dragon and coiled around Meng Zhao’s arm.
• The Evil Dragon bit Meng Zhao’s neck and sent black qi into him, corrupting his Buddhist aura and turning the valley into a demonic prison.
• A black version of Meng Zhao appeared in his Sea of Consciousness, radiating hatred and unwillingness.

Meng Zhao confronted Dark Meng Zhao, a composite of the evil weapon’s thoughts and the beggar’s remaining spiritual essence, who accused him of stealing his body and destiny. Dark Meng Zhao showed him a possible life the beggar might have lived, but Meng Zhao concluded the visions were fabricated to weaken him.

• Dark Meng Zhao appeared in Meng Zhao’s Sea of Consciousness and demanded that he leave the body he had stolen.
• Meng Zhao realized Dark Meng Zhao contained traces of the beggar’s spiritual essence, awakened and merged with the evil weapon’s thoughts.
• Dark Meng Zhao cursed Meng Zhao, and the evil weapon’s thoughts began draining Meng Zhao’s strength and life.
• Meng Zhao used the Myriad Heavens Imperial Dragon Ziwei Emperor Scripture to suppress the effects and asked Dark Meng Zhao how he knew the beggar’s fate.
• Dark Meng Zhao showed scenes of the beggar being saved by Zhao Hun, rising within the Meng Family, gaining power and inheritance, and contending for supremacy in Ji Prefecture.
• Meng Zhao rejected the scenes as hypothetical fabrications designed to shake his resolve, arguing that the beggar lacked the knowledge and schemes shown in them.

Meng Zhao fought Dark Meng Zhao in his Sea of Consciousness, where the wicked weapon empowered Dark Meng Zhao with corrupted versions of Meng Zhao’s own arts. With the Emperor Yu Battle Armor, Meng Zhao overwhelmed and devoured him, eliminating the hidden danger within his body.

• Dark Meng Zhao accused Meng Zhao of stealing his fate and demanded that he leave the body, but Meng Zhao rejected his claims and attacked.
• The two clashed in the Sea of Consciousness as Dark Meng Zhao used demonic versions of Meng Zhao’s techniques and gained the upper hand with the wicked weapon’s support.
• Meng Zhao summoned the Emperor Yu Battle Armor and its Azure Dragon Battle Soul, turning the fight in his favor.
• Meng Zhao used the Heaven Swallowing Sun Devouring Great Law to drag Dark Meng Zhao close despite his desperate resistance and pleas for mercy.
• Meng Zhao swallowed Dark Meng Zhao and declared that he had eliminated the hidden danger for good.

After Meng Zhao swallowed Dark Meng Zhao, the defeated evil weapon tried to escape, but silken threads bound it and wrapped him in a cocoon. Shen Zhihang identified the transformation as linked to the legendary Heavenly Silkworm arts, leaving Meng Zhao's allies awed as they waited to see what would happen.

• After Meng Zhao swallowed Dark Meng Zhao in his Sea of Consciousness, the evil weapon tried to flee his body.
• Silken threads emerged from Meng Zhao's skin, caught the evil weapon, and enclosed them both in a huge white cocoon.
• Yuan Qing worried that something had gone wrong, while Xiang Qing and the others wondered what the cocoon meant.
• At Xiang Qing's request, Shen Zhihang explained the legends of Heavenly Silkworm Nine Transformations and its related divine and demonic arts.
• Si Peng and the others concluded that Meng Zhao's connection to the Heavenly Silkworm Art showed extraordinary fortune and made following him seem a wise choice.

Meng Zhao completed Self-Imprisonment Cocoon with the evil weapon, which emerged stronger and absorbed a bolt of heavenly lightning. The others watched as Meng Zhao emerged holding the weapon, its sole true master.

• Shen Zhihang questioned how Meng Zhao could undergo Self-Imprisonment Cocoon without an apparent trial of life and death, while Si Peng and Xiang Qing attributed the change to Meng Zhao's extraordinary talent and possible Special Physique.
• The cocoon around Meng Zhao and the evil weapon turned gray-black and drained vitality from the surrounding land, leaving a barren area roughly a hundred feet wide.
• The cocoon split open, revealing the evil weapon with an even more powerful and sinister aura.
• Heavenly lightning struck the evil weapon, but it absorbed the lightning and gained mysterious patterns across its blade.
• Meng Zhao emerged from the cocoon gripping the weapon, which had only him as its true master.

After emerging from the Self-Imprisonment Cocoon, Meng Zhao discovered that his soul and the evil weapon had been transformed and linked, giving him a powerful accompanying divine weapon. He named the weapon Evil Calamity, sealed it in the Heavenly Evil Battle Casket, and ended the battle with a decisive victory.

• Meng Zhao emerged from the cocoon, and the people on the ritual platform congratulated him for subduing the evil weapon.
• Meng Zhao realized that devouring Dark Meng Zhao had completed his soul’s unity with his body and removed a hidden danger to his martial path.
• Meng Zhao understood that the Eclosion Worm had transformed the evil weapon into his accompanying divine weapon, which had absorbed the heavenly thunder and become stronger.
• Meng Zhao named the weapon Evil Calamity, and the name appeared in ancient seal script on its hilt.
• Meng Zhao drew the Heavenly Evil Battle Casket, and Evil Calamity entered it as the battle over the weapon ended in his victory over Commander Bai and the Divine Might Army.

Three Death Sword Guards investigated the valley after the Heavenly Evil Battle Casket vanished and learned that Meng Zhao had disrupted Commander Bai's plans. They recognized Meng Zhao as a major threat, while the casket's fate and the black cocoons remained unknown to them.

• Three Death Sword Guards arrived at the ritual altar and found that the Heavenly Evil Battle Casket had been taken and the Death Thunder Guards had not returned.
• Fifth Brother reported that many Thunderbolt Children had been detonated, but the remaining charges could not be triggered because a crucial fuse or node had been destroyed.
• The leader found signs of battle, no trace of Su Hongtu, and black cocoons that seemed connected to the evil weapon.
• Ninth Brother showed the others a record revealing that Su Hongtu had died and that Meng Zhao had appeared in the valley.
• The Death Sword Guards learned that Meng Zhao had subdued the Divine Might Army and feared that they could not defeat him without Commander Bai.

The Death Sword Guards debated how to report Meng Zhao’s seizure of the Divine Might Army and the evil weapon to Commander Bai. Ninth Brother proposed sacrificing himself to assassinate Meng Zhao, leaving the others to weigh whether Commander Bai would approve.

• The lead Death Sword Guard said they must inform Commander Bai that Meng Zhao had taken control of the Divine Might Army and the evil weapon.
• The lead guard considered abandoning the mission and offered to bear Commander Bai’s blame himself.
• Ninth Brother proposed infiltrating the camp and killing Meng Zhao to reclaim the evil weapon.
• The lead guard rebuked Ninth Brother for treating his life as his own to spend without Commander Bai’s orders.
• Ninth Brother argued that Meng Zhao was a formidable enemy and that trading his life for Meng Zhao’s would serve Commander Bai.
• The lead guard and Fifth Brother fell silent as they considered Ninth Brother’s proposal.

A young Death Sword Guard resolved to sacrifice his life to assassinate Meng Zhao, seeing the duel as the one chance to prove he had existed. The three guards agreed to seek help from Commander Bai’s hidden agents in the Divine Might Army to give him a chance to reach Meng Zhao.

• The young Death Sword Guard declared that killing Meng Zhao would prove his existence and refused to reconsider the mission.
• The leading Death Sword Guard and Fifth Brother agreed to support the unauthorized assassination and bear its consequences.
• The three Death Sword Guards discussed the risks of reaching Meng Zhao, who was protected by experts in the Divine Might Army’s main camp.
• The young Death Sword Guard proposed contacting Commander Bai’s people in the army to create one opportunity to approach Meng Zhao.
• The other two Death Sword Guards accepted the plan and wished the young guard success.

As Si Peng and Xiang Qing returned to the Divine Might Army camp on unexpectedly friendly terms, Guard Generals Li Ao and Fang Gongming worried that their reconciliation would destroy the army’s balance of power. They questioned Gold Envoy He Wuji about what had happened, but the reason for the change remained unknown.

• Si Peng and Xiang Qing returned to camp with their factions on far more cordial terms, prompting concern among observers.
• Guard Generals Li Ao and Fang Gongming waited impatiently in Gold Envoy He Wuji’s tent, worried that the two factions might unite.
• The chapter described Li Ao’s family’s hidden military heritage and Fang Gongming’s unknown master and formidable saber skills.
• He Wuji arrived, and Li Ao immediately asked whether he knew why Si Peng and Xiang Qing’s relationship had improved.
• Li Ao explained that their reconciliation could leave his neutral faction outnumbered and threaten the military authority he valued.

He Wuji told Li Ao and Fang Gongming that Meng Zhao had defeated Commander Bai’s plans and united the Divine Might Army’s factions under his authority. The three recognized that they were isolated as Commander Bai’s remaining followers, and Li Ao began considering whether they should submit to Meng Zhao.

• Fang Gongming asked He Wuji whether Si Peng and Xiang Qing had met with him, and He Wuji confirmed that they had.
• He Wuji revealed that Lu Yang was actually Meng Zhao, who had defeated Commander Bai, subdued the divine weapon, and won over the army’s factions.
• Li Ao and Fang Gongming realized that the Four Sacred Envoys, the Four Great Guard Generals, and the Danchi warriors had aligned with Meng Zhao, leaving the three of them tied to Commander Bai.
• Li Ao asked whether the envoys and generals had sincerely submitted, and He Wuji judged that Si Peng and Xiang Qing had committed themselves to Meng Zhao.
• Li Ao considered that joining Meng Zhao might be wiser than resisting him to the end.

Li Ao weighed his loyalty to Commander Bai against the Meng Family's stronger prospects and proposed that the rebel camp pledge allegiance to Meng Zhao. He asked Fang Gongming what he thought, and Fang understood and approved of the idea.

• Li Ao reflected that he had joined the Divine Might Army for the chance to rise, but viewed Commander Bai as a stepping stone rather than his master.
• Li Ao judged the Meng Family a powerful and promising choice, citing its resources, alliances, and rivalry with the Lei Family in Ji Prefecture.
• Li Ao proposed that the camp pledge allegiance to Meng Zhao and become official soldiers, offering the men security and a future.
• Fang Gongming understood Li Ao's motives and agreed that serving as official soldiers was preferable to remaining rebels.

Fang Gongming and Li Ao favored joining Meng Zhao and the Great Yong court, while He Wuji worried that the Divine Might Army’s supplies and uncertain status made defection risky. He Wuji revealed that Meng Zhao had summoned him to play chess, with Li Ao and Fang Gongming watching, perhaps as a way to win them over without bloodshed.

• Fang Gongming weighed Commander Bai’s rebellion against serving Meng Zhao and decided the official side offered a more reliable future.
• He Wuji asked Li Ao and Fang Gongming whether they feared Commander Bai cutting off the Divine Might Army’s supplies if they defected.
• Li Ao argued that the court or Meng Zhao could support the army, and Fang Gongming agreed that Meng Zhao would have considered its needs.
• He Wuji doubted the court could accept the Divine Might Army or that Meng Zhao would risk his own wealth to maintain it.
• Li Ao asked what Meng Zhao intended, and He Wuji said Meng Zhao had invited him to play chess half an hour later while the two generals observed.

He Wuji, Li Ao, and Fang Gongming waited in a tent for Meng Zhao, wondering why he had summoned them for a chess game. Meng Zhao arrived with his Holy Envoys and guard generals, apologized for concealing his identity as Lu Yang, and left the three considering what would follow.

• Li Ao guessed Meng Zhao might be using a chess game to recruit him and Fang Gongming, while He Wuji waited to see what Meng Zhao intended.
• As the night wore on, Li Ao and Fang Gongming chose to remain in the tent with He Wuji rather than go out to greet Meng Zhao.
• Meng Zhao entered with the four Holy Envoys, four guard generals, and He Xin carrying a chessboard and pieces.
• He Wuji, Li Ao, and Fang Gongming were struck by how much more commanding Meng Zhao seemed than when they had known him as Lu Yang.
• Meng Zhao greeted the three and apologized for concealing his identity; Li Ao and Fang Gongming felt relieved and planned to pledge allegiance after the chess game.

Meng Zhao offered Li Ao and Fang Gongming positions under his command, then tried to recruit He Wuji by promising freedom to pursue martial arts, abundant resources, and a future in which he controlled the Northern Lands. He left his ambitions for Ji, Liang, and Yan Prefectures openly declared, though those present doubted he could overcome the powers entrenched there.

• He Wuji urged Meng Zhao to take Li Ao and Fang Gongming into his service to prevent bloodshed and offered them as capable generals.
• Meng Zhao accepted Li Ao and Fang Gongming, kept their positions unchanged, and promised to help them resolve any leverage Commander Bai held over them.
• Meng Zhao asked He Wuji to pledge loyalty and promised him time to pursue martial arts, access to experts and resources, and support in reaching higher realms.
• Meng Zhao declared that he might command the Northern Lands and dominate a region, revealing ambitions that could threaten the balance of power.
• Those present considered Meng Zhao's promises and recognized that the Fire Dragon Cave, Pudu Cult, and Tan Changming made his ambitions difficult to achieve.

Meng Zhao tried to recruit He Wuji by promising martial arts companions and methods for advancing beyond the Grandmaster realm, and He Wuji was deeply tempted but held back his answer. They began a martial arts contest using chess stones, and Meng Zhao recognized the profundity of He Wuji’s sword array.

• Meng Zhao offered He Wuji support, martial arts companions, and methods leading to celestial beings and Gods and Devils, stirring He Wuji’s interest.
• He Wuji proposed discussing martial arts through chess instead of competing at Go, and chose the black stones while Meng Zhao took white.
• He Wuji launched black stones infused with sword qi at Meng Zhao, who absorbed and crushed the qi while keeping the stones circling him.
• Meng Zhao sent white stones toward He Wuji in the shape of a true dragon, and He Wuji countered with sword techniques and a formation of black stones.
• Meng Zhao recognized similarities between He Wuji’s stone formation and the Innate Five Elements Annihilation Grand Array, and understood that He Wuji’s sword attainments were exceptional.

Meng Zhao and He Wuji tested their martial arts through a chess-piece duel, with He Wuji’s Five Elements sword array and Sword Heart Without Self ultimately overcome by Meng Zhao’s Emperor Dragon. He Wuji accepted the defeat as valuable guidance and thanked Meng Zhao.

• He Wuji used sword qi to form a Five Elements sword array, while Meng Zhao’s great white dragon adapted to its transformations and held its own for about thirty exchanges.
• He Wuji unleashed Sword Heart Without Self, greatly strengthening his aura and sword array until Meng Zhao’s white dragon began to falter.
• Meng Zhao invoked the Way of the Emperor Dragon, gathering his white pieces into an Emperor Dragon that used the Five Elements’ mutual restraint to break He Wuji’s array.
• Meng Zhao defeated He Wuji without using more cultivation than his opponent, and the watching experts gained insights from both men’s martial arts.
• He Wuji withdrew from Sword Heart Without Self, bowed to Meng Zhao, and thanked him for the guidance.

Meng Zhao defeated He Wuji in their martial contest and helped him see a path toward the Grandmaster realm, prompting He Wuji to join Meng Zhao’s service. Meng Zhao then faced the challenge of securing supplies for the more than thirty thousand soldiers now under his command.

• Meng Zhao explained how He Wuji could use his strongest metal power to command the other elements, and He Wuji recognized a way to overcome the flaw in his sword path.
• Meng Zhao asked He Wuji to join his service, and He Wuji accepted, eager to meet the martial arts fanatics Meng Zhao had mentioned.
• Si Peng warned Meng Zhao that taking control of the Divine Might Army meant losing Commander Bai’s support and raised concerns about provisions and military supplies.
• Xiang Qing explained that Yuan Qing could keep supplies coming from the Heavenly King Gang, while continued support from the Lifeng Trading Company was uncertain.
• Meng Zhao considered borrowing grain from Fire Dragon Cave or raiding clans and sects, but decided to address the Lifeng Trading Company first and postponed further discussion until the next military council.