Chapter Summaries

Chu Qing and Wu Qianhuan entered the Sophora Tree Forest to search for the Blood King and uncovered an Eight Trigrams Illusion Array. They joined Shan Lan and other Great Constancy Sect disciples in searching the forest, but found only a letter addressed personally to Third Young Master.

• Wu Qianhuan identified the forest’s Eight Trigrams Illusion Array, and Chu Qing broke several array eyes as she guided him through it.
• Chu Qing and Wu Qianhuan encountered Great Constancy Sect disciples, who attacked after mistaking them for demons; Wu Qianhuan and Chu Qing quickly drove them back.
• Shan Lan recognized Chu Qing as Mad Blade Third Young Master, apologized for the misunderstanding, and agreed to search for the missing person with him and Wu Qianhuan.
• The disciples explained that Chen Buyu had earned his name because his reckless talk repeatedly caused conflicts, and they beat him after learning he had called Chu Qing and Wu Qianhuan monsters.
• The group searched the Sophora Tree Forest and found a letter bearing the words, “To Third Young Master, personally!”

Chu Qing found a letter from the Blood King warning that the sought object lay within Great Constancy and hurried there with Shan Lan and the others, suspecting the Blood King had already infiltrated the sect. On the road, Shan Lan mentioned the Azure Luan Stone Image, linking it to a cryptic clue about one of the Nine Treasures of Heaven and Earth.

• Shan Lan read the Blood King's letter and explained that the Great Constancy Sect wanted to befriend Chu Qing, despite his having killed Ling Beichen, and might even grant him an honorary elder position.
• Chu Qing identified the letter's author as the Blood King and decided to leave immediately for the Great Constancy Sect in case she had infiltrated it.
• Chu Qing returned to the inn, where Wen Rou and Hua Jinnian had defeated bandits who tried to abduct Wen Rou; Chu Qing secretly used the Bone Melting Palm on the bandits before letting them leave.
• Chu Qing, his companions, and Shan Lan's disciples departed through the night for the Great Constancy Sect, passing the bandits on the road.
• Shan Lan described the Azure Luan Stone Image, one of the Eight Views of Great Constancy, and Chu Qing connected it to the Blood King's cryptic clue about the Nine Treasures of Heaven and Earth.

Chu Qing learned about the Azure Luan Stone Image and the Great Constancy Sect’s martial traditions as Shan Lan brought him to Mount Taiheng. At the Sword Control Pavilion, Li Junmo appeared, and several figures attacked Chu Qing, shouting for revenge for their Martial Uncle.

• Shan Lan and Chen Buyu told Chu Qing about the Azure Luan Stone Image, including that fierce winds seemed to rise from beneath it when the azure luan appeared.
• Chu Qing and the others reached Sword City, where Shan Lan explained how the Great Constancy Sect taught simple sword techniques to common people and collected their insights.
• Shan Lan led Chu Qing’s party up Mount Taiheng, and disciples recognized him as the man who had killed Ling Beichen.
• The Great Constancy Sect formed ranks to welcome Chu Qing, and Shan Lan escorted him to the Sword Control Pavilion.
• Li Junmo emerged from the pavilion, and several figures leaped toward Chu Qing with their swords, shouting, “Avenge our Martial Uncle!”

Chu Qing returned Ling Beichen’s ashes to the Great Constancy Sect, exposed an assassination attempt as a possible scheme to sow discord, and learned more about the coming Sword Bestowal Ceremony. After receiving Ling Beichen’s sword, Seclude-Wound, he prepared to investigate the Azure Luan Stone Image and the Blood King’s motives, while guests began arriving at the sect.

• Eight Great Constancy Sect disciples attacked Chu Qing with the Eight Directions Thousand Absolutes Array, but he broke their formation, killed one, and let Li Junmo take the other seven for interrogation.
• Li Junmo denied ordering the attack and welcomed Chu Qing, who returned Ling Beichen’s ashes and agreed to stay for Guan Changying’s Sword Bestowal Ceremony.
• Shan Lan told Li Junmo about the demon beneath the mountain and gave him the letter; Chu Qing proposed investigating the attackers to uncover the Blood King’s objective.
• Li Junmo arranged for Chu Qing and his companions to stay at Qing Luan Peak, where Chu Qing said he wanted to see the Azure Luan Stone Image.
• Guan Changying delivered Ling Beichen’s sword, Seclude-Wound, to Chu Qing on Li Junmo’s orders.
• A disciple summoned Guan Changying to welcome Abbot Wudao of the Vajra Sect and the other arriving guests.

Chu Qing accompanied Guan Changying to welcome the Vajra Sect, where Abbot Wudao and his party arrived late and Lingjue challenged Guan Changying to spar before the Sword Bestowal Ceremony. Chu Qing intervened and offered to fight Lingjue instead, leaving the monk stunned when Guan Changying identified him as Young Master Mad Blade.

• Chu Qing joined Guan Changying on the way to welcome the Vajra Sect, and Wu Qianhuan, Wen Rou, and Hua Jinnian followed them.
• Guan Changying introduced Chen Buyu, who questioned Chu Qing about his motives and criticized his unpredictable conduct.
• Wudao delayed his arrival and discussed with Zen Master Xingzhi their past plot involving Wuchan, deciding they would kill him if he returned to the Vajra Sect.
• Wudao's party arrived at the Great Constancy Sect, and he suggested that Guan Changying spar with his second disciple, Lingjue.
• Lingjue pressed Guan Changying to fight that day, but Chu Qing stepped forward and offered to spar with him.
• Lingjue scorned Chu Qing until Guan Changying identified him as Young Master Mad Blade.

Chu Qing intervened after Wu Qianhuan defeated Lingjue and Wudao attacked her, crushing the Vajra Sect abbot with a single strike. The Vajra Sect monks asked him to show mercy, but Chu Qing condemned their conduct.

• Lingjue backed down from Chu Qing’s challenge, and Chu Qing arranged for Wu Qianhuan to spar with him instead.
• Wu Qianhuan shattered Lingjue’s Immovable Vajra defense and sent him flying with her sword techniques.
• Wudao rescued Lingjue with a palm strike, then attacked Wu Qianhuan with the Kasyapa Divine Fist after she broke through his defense.
• Chu Qing caught Wu Qianhuan and countered Wudao’s punch, smashing the abbot into a crater.
• Xingzhi asked Chu Qing to spare the injured Wudao and the Vajra Sect, but Chu Qing denounced the sect.

Chu Qing failed to drive Vajra Sect away after publicly condemning its conduct, so he planned to kill Wudao and Xingzhi within Great Constancy Sect instead. As more factions arrived for the Sword Bestowal Ceremony and Cheng Tieshan and Tie Chuqing visited, a nighttime commotion left Chu Qing wondering what had happened.

• Chu Qing rebuked Xingzhi and Vajra Sect for Lingjue's challenge and Wudao's attack, then learned the monks had stayed at Great Constancy Sect despite the humiliation.
• Chu Qing and Wu Qianhuan investigated Qing Luan Peak's Azure Luan Stone Image and considered whether clues to the Nine Treasures of Heaven and Earth might also lie at Heavenly Sound Manor.
• Cheng Tieshan and Tie Chuqing arrived at Azure Luan Courtyard, where Tie Chuqing argued with Chu Qing before Cheng Tieshan explained Iron Blood Hall's battle with Mirror of Sin.
• Cheng Tieshan told Chu Qing that several factions had arrived for the Sword Bestowal Ceremony, including Ding'an Hall, Yijian Sect, and Vajra Sect.
• That night, Chu Qing heard Great Constancy Sect disciples rushing about and suspected that something had happened before he could act against Wudao and Xingzhi.

Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi investigated a disturbance at the Great Constancy Sect and learned that Zhao Qipeng had been murdered. The evidence suggested Zhao had been killed by someone he knew, leaving the killer unidentified.

• Chu Qing learned that a thief had infiltrated the Great Constancy Sect and went with Wu Qianhuan, Wen Rou, and Hua Jinnian to investigate.
• Chu Qing saw Lingjue confronting Luo Wushuang, and Lan Shuyi arrived with ten Army Breaker men and humiliated the arrogant monk.
• Chu Qing forced Lingjue to kneel, and Great Constancy Sect disciples nearly mistook him for a suspicious intruder when he climbed onto a wall.
• Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi joined forces and entered the guarded courtyard with Guan Changying, who told them that Zhao Qipeng had been murdered.
• Cheng Tieshan examined Zhao Qipeng’s body and concluded that the fatal sword strike had come from the front, likely from someone the victim knew.

After Zhao Qipeng was found murdered within the Great Constancy Sect, Li Junmo asked Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi to investigate while keeping the sect’s internal scandal quiet. They arranged to inspect Zhao’s life record in the Forest of Ten Thousand Swords the next morning, and Chu Qing stopped Lan Shuyi as he tried to leave.

• Cheng Tieshan concluded that Zhao Qipeng had been killed by one sword strike, and Li Junmo admitted he suspected an insider while asking the visitors to keep the matter secret.
• Li Junmo summoned Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi, and both agreed to investigate Zhao Qipeng’s murder.
• Lan Shuyi explained that the Forest of Ten Thousand Swords contained records of the lives and swords of every Great Constancy Sect disciple, and suggested searching Zhao’s record for clues.
• Li Junmo agreed to let Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi examine Zhao’s record with Guan Changying the next morning, and gave Chu Qing a token granting access throughout the sect except to forbidden grounds.
• Outside the courtyard, Chu Qing questioned why Lan Shuyi had agreed to help, then grabbed his shoulder and asked where he was going.

Chu Qing confronted Lan Shuyi, who revealed that Wang Fang had murdered his parents and explained how he had joined Ding'an Hall to seek revenge. Lan Shuyi offered to help Chu Qing bring down Ding'an Hall, and Chu Qing left him with a choice that would test his loyalty.

• Chu Qing subdued Lan Shuyi's Po Jun Blade Wielders, then took Lan Shuyi to a secluded place to speak privately.
• Lan Shuyi offered to help Chu Qing swallow Ding'an Hall and said he and Wang Fang shared a blood-deep hatred.
• Lan Shuyi recounted how Wang Fang killed his parents after Lan Shuyi's family sheltered him, and how Lan Shuyi's teacher saved him before dying from his wounds.
• Lan Shuyi explained that he had joined Ding'an Hall to get close to Wang Fang and later sought an opportunity to cooperate with Chu Qing.
• Chu Qing doubted Lan Shuyi's trustworthiness and offered him a Three-Nine Soul Severing Pill, requiring him to take it as proof of loyalty.

After sending Lan Shuyi back toward the Great Constancy Sect, Chu Qing left him to face Wudao, who tried to recruit him into framing someone for Zhao Qipeng’s murder. When Lan Shuyi refused, Wudao attacked, but Ye Wanqiu intervened and drove him off; Chu Qing later appeared to mark Wudao as his first target.

• Chu Qing gave Lan Shuyi a pill, then left him to find his way back to the Great Constancy Sect, where he encountered Wudao and Lingjue.
• Wudao proposed that Lan Shuyi frame someone else for Zhao Qipeng’s murder, but Lan Shuyi rejected the plan and threatened to tell Chu Qing about it.
• Wudao attacked Lan Shuyi, and the Po Jun Blade Wielders fought back until Wudao killed one and blasted the remaining fighters away.
• Wudao moved to strike Lan Shuyi, but Ye Wanqiu arrived and forced him to retreat with Lingjue.
• Ye Wanqiu scolded Lan Shuyi before leaving, and Chu Qing appeared afterward, calling Wudao his first target.

After secretly striking Wudao, Chu Qing returned to Wu Qianhuan and discussed his hidden abilities and the Heaven's Dawn Swordplay she had brought. They agreed to investigate the strange history between their masters, while their own feelings grew closer, and Chu Qing left her room before their flirtation went further.

• Chu Qing secretly hit Wudao with his Azure Void Palm while Lan Shuyi and the Yijian Sect girl witnessed that Chu Qing was alive.
• Chu Qing carried the sleeping Wu Qianhuan to bed, and they talked about his transformation and her childhood resentment toward him.
• Wu Qianhuan gave Chu Qing the Heaven's Dawn Swordplay manual, which required yin and yang practitioners to exchange inner force and harmonize their minds.
• Chu Qing revealed that his Divine Jade Nine Chapters contained both pure yin and pure yang lineages, making him capable of practicing the art with Wu Qianhuan.
• Chu Qing and Wu Qianhuan speculated that a past betrayal might explain why her master and Martial Uncle Tianyou never practiced the swordplay together.
• Chu Qing calmed himself and left Wu Qianhuan's room, while she privately admitted that their meeting in the pavilion had stirred feelings in her.

Chu Qing investigated Zhao Qipeng’s life record in the Forest of Ten Thousand Swords and found that two pages about the Great Constancy Sect’s past succession crisis had been torn out. Suspecting that Li Junmo’s sudden seclusion was connected to Zhao Qipeng’s murder, Chu Qing planned to investigate the sect by day and the restricted grounds by night, then received confirmation that Wudao had been assassinated.

• Chu Qing joined Lan Shuyi and the others in visiting the Forest of Ten Thousand Swords to investigate Zhao Qipeng’s death.
• Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi surrendered their weapons and read Zhao Qipeng’s life records in the forest.
• Lan Shuyi noticed that two pages about Qi Luo’s succession and Ling Beichen’s return were missing from Zhao Qipeng’s record.
• Guan Changying said Li Junmo had entered seclusion, prompting Chu Qing to suspect the timing and plan to question sect members before investigating the restricted grounds that night.
• Chu Qing received a system notification that Wudao had been successfully assassinated and that he had obtained a Random Martial Arts Treasure Chest.

Chu Qing visited Wudao, only to find the abbot dead from a technique that shattered his bones internally. He concealed his role in Wudao’s death while investigating traces of Blood King, and left with Wudao’s identity plaque as the search for the murderer began.

• Chu Qing led Lan Shuyi and the others to the Vajra Sect courtyard to visit Wudao, but novice monks announced that the abbot had died.
• Chu Qing examined Wudao’s corpse and claimed that a powerful technique had shattered his bones without leaving external injuries.
• Wen Rou detected Blood King's scent on Wudao, and Chu Qing suspected she had treated his injuries and remained in the Great Constancy Sect for another purpose.
• Guan Changying arrived after Wudao’s death was reported, and Chu Qing offered to help investigate while secretly seeking clues about Blood King.
• Chu Qing left the courtyard with an identity plaque marked “Wudao” from the Great Constancy Sect’s Sword Comprehension Courtyard.

Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi investigated Zhao Qipeng’s murder and suspected the killer had used the incident to enter the Great Constancy Sect. After meeting Luo Wushuang and returning to Azure Luan Courtyard, Chu Qing opened his treasure chest and discovered that the Art of Absolute Wisdom was the Black Heavenly Book.

• Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi linked Zhao Qipeng’s missing pages and murder to Ling Beichen’s old revenge against Qi Luo, and considered that an outsider might have killed Zhao to infiltrate the sect.
• Chu Qing found no way to identify the owner of the disciple token at the Sword Comprehension Courtyard, then met Luo Wushuang on Qing Luan Mountain and told him that Wudao had died.
• Chu Qing returned to Azure Luan Courtyard, asked Wen Rou and Wu Qianhuan to guard him, and opened his treasure chest while in seclusion.
• Chu Qing obtained the rare art Art of Absolute Wisdom and realized it was the Black Heavenly Book.

Chu Qing discovered that the Art of Absolute Wisdom used a slowly replenishing spiritual reserve rather than Calamity Power, then watched the Azure Luan Stone Image and trained Wu Qianhuan. At midnight, he took Lan Shuyi toward Li Junmo’s seclusion cave, where they hid from an approaching Great Constancy Sect disciple whose face had been partly peeled away.

• The system forced Chu Qing to learn the Art of Absolute Wisdom, and he found that using it drained his spirit and emptied the spring in his eyes.
• Luo Wushuang announced that the Azure Luan Stone Image had appeared, and Chu Qing went with Wu Qianhuan and Wen Rou to see its shadow on the cliff.
• Luo Wushuang exaggerated the spectacle to Hua Jinnian, while Chu Qing suspected that wind, light, and the stone wall had produced the image.
• Chu Qing instructed Wu Qianhuan in swordsmanship and taught her the Flying Willow Catkin Green Smoke Technique, then reluctantly agreed to teach Hua Jinnian too.
• At midnight, Chu Qing caught Lan Shuyi in disguise and took him toward Li Junmo’s Quiet Heart Cave.
• Chu Qing sensed an expert nearby and hid with Lan Shuyi as a Great Constancy Sect disciple approached, pressing his half-peeled facial skin back into place.

Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi followed Hermit Thousand Injuries to Quiet Heart Cave, where he exposed himself as an assassin and grievously wounded Li Junmo. Chu Qing subdued him and offered to hunt the other assassins in exchange for information, then asked Li Junmo whether Guan Changying had killed Zhao Qipeng.

• Chu Qing identified the suspicious Great Constancy Sect disciple as a man wearing a human-skin mask, and he and Lan Shuyi followed him to Quiet Heart Cave.
• The disguised assassin claimed Guan Changying had sent him to bring Li Junmo out of seclusion, and Li Junmo emerged after hearing that the sect was in chaos.
• The assassin attacked Li Junmo with the Heart Severing Soul Shattering Finger, then took Stop Conflict when Li's injury caused him to lose control of the sword.
• Li Junmo identified the attacker as Hermit Thousand Injuries of the Mirror of Sin, who admitted that his organization killed for money and prepared to behead Li.
• Chu Qing seized Hermit Thousand Injuries, crippled him, and asked where the other two assassins were, but the captive said he had come alone.
• Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi helped Li Junmo into Quiet Heart Cave, where Chu Qing offered a deal and asked if Guan Changying had killed Zhao Qipeng.

Chu Qing confronted Li Junmo with his suspicion that Guan Changying had killed Zhao Qipeng to avenge Qi Luo, but Li Junmo denied it and gave Chu Qing the Sword Control Technique. After accepting a commission to slay the visitors from the Evil Execution List, Chu Qing learned of three other attackers and left with Lan Shuyi to pursue them.

• Chu Qing explained why he suspected Guan Changying and challenged Li Junmo over his sudden seclusion and the missing pages from Zhao Qipeng's life story.
• Li Junmo denied that Guan Changying was the killer, offered Chu Qing the Sword Control Technique, and agreed to count it as payment for killing two more Mirror of Sin assassins.
• Chu Qing accepted the commission to slay all visitors from the Evil Execution List, then persuaded Hermit Thousand Injuries to reveal that three others had come to Great Constancy Sect.
• Hermit Thousand Injuries identified a mysterious black-clad man and an adulterous couple hiding at Spring Arrival Inn in Sword City; Chu Qing killed him after questioning him.
• Li Junmo gave Chu Qing the Sword Control Technique, and Chu Qing left Quiet Heart Cave with Lan Shuyi, deciding there was no point pursuing the matter of Zhao Qipeng's missing pages.

Li Junmo confronted Guan Changying about killing Zhao Qipeng and offered to give his own life in atonement while preserving the Great Constancy Sect’s future. After Guan Changying agreed to let the old grudges end, Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi searched Spring Arrival Inn for the remaining uninvited guests.

• Li Junmo revealed that he knew Guan Changying had arranged an attempt on his life and killed Zhao Qipeng, but said he understood Guan Changying’s desire to avenge his father, Qi Luo.
• Li Junmo told Guan Changying he would take responsibility for Zhao Qipeng’s death and asked him to let their grudges end after the Sword Bestowal Ceremony.
• Guan Changying promised not to betray the Great Constancy Sect and agreed not to seek revenge on Southern Ridge Iron Sword.
• Li Junmo asked Guan Changying to kill him, and Guan Changying fell silent before nodding.
• At Spring Arrival Inn, Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi searched for the remaining uninvited guests, and Chu Qing stopped Lan Shuyi before they approached a noisy room.
• Chu Qing threw a roof tile at the room’s window and angrily demanded that its occupants stop making noise.

Chu Qing lured two Mirror of Sin experts away from the inn and defeated them, while Lan Shuyi helped keep them separated until they died. After questioning them yielded no information, Chu Qing set out to find the last member of the Mirror of Sin group.

• Chu Qing provoked the inn’s lodgers into cursing the noisy couple, then led Lan Shuyi away as the couple followed them.
• The man and woman attacked Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi, but Chu Qing returned the man’s finger strike and broke through their illusion with the Divine Jade Nine Chapters.
• Chu Qing overwhelmed the pair with the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, leaving them gravely wounded.
• Lan Shuyi pulled the pair apart when they tried to clasp hands, and Chu Qing killed them after neither would reveal anything about the last Mirror of Sin member.
• Chu Qing and Lan Shuyi prepared to pursue the last member, as Chu Qing concluded the Mirror of Sin group was poorly organized.