Chapter Summaries

Chu Qing infiltrated Heavenly Secrets Tower and triggered the mechanism that released Yellow Springs Powder, disabling most of the Heavenly Evil Cult disciples inside. When three Puppet Corpses and two more cultists attacked him, he shattered the corpses with Heavenly Frost Fist, but the fight continued.

• Chu Qing entered Heavenly Secrets Tower through a fake window in the roof and found the empty displays and the mechanism guarded by three Puppet Corpses.
• A carrier pigeon brought orders for the Heavenly Evil Cult disciples to withdraw and split between the tower and the underground area.
• Chu Qing pulled down the mechanism lever, releasing Yellow Springs Powder and incapacitating the cultists on the first floor.
• The three Puppet Corpses attacked Chu Qing, and he used Proud Snow and Frost to freeze and shatter them.
• Two Heavenly Evil Cult disciples struck at Chu Qing with the Blood Transformation Divine Palm, but he evaded their attacks and made them hit each other.
• The three Puppet Corpses landed and broke into pieces as Chu Qing faced the continuing attack.

Shi Ye reported the destruction of Heavenly Secrets Valley’s arrangements to Grave King Burial Cold Sound, who decided to meet the arriving martial artists and investigate whether Chu Qing and Night Emperor were the same person. As the heroes reached Heavenly Secrets Tower and clashed with an ambush, Chu Qing appeared and attacked Grave King Burial Cold Sound.

• Chu Qing escaped Heavenly Secrets Tower, while Shi Ye used the blood of fallen disciples to clear a path and enter the underground cavern.
• Shi Ye told Grave King Burial Cold Sound that Chu Qing had destroyed the valley’s arrangements and might be the same person as Night Emperor.
• Grave King Burial Cold Sound ordered the cult to investigate Chu Qing’s identity and chose to confront the martial artists arriving at the valley.
• Wen Fusheng, Not a Monk, and the other heroes entered Heavenly Secrets Valley, followed Not a Monk through its formations, and reached Heavenly Secrets Tower.
• Heavenly Evil Cult disciples ambushed the heroes, and Wen Fusheng spotted Chu Qing at a window as Grave King Burial Cold Sound emerged from a secret passage.
• Chu Qing scattered white powder and charged at Grave King Burial Cold Sound with his saber.

Chu Qing used Yellow Springs Powder and his blade technique to kill Grave King and Shi Ye, then discovered the mission counted each death separately. Another Grave King appeared at Heavenly Secrets Tower, leaving Chu Qing facing the possibility that the enemy could not be killed for good.

• Chu Qing ambushed the masked Grave King outside the secret passage, seized his head, and announced his death to the fighters in Heavenly Secrets Valley.
• Shi Ye attacked Wen Fusheng, but Grave King appeared and rescued him before Chu Qing struck Shi Ye’s eyes and crippled him.
• Chu Qing hurled Shi Ye toward Grave King, then severed Grave King’s hands and head with the Sixteen Paths of Startling Evil Blade.
• Chu Qing checked the mission interface and saw its progress had reached three after the deaths of the first Grave King, Shi Ye, and the second Grave King.
• A Grave King appeared at Heavenly Secrets Tower, praised Chu Qing’s swordsmanship, and prompted Chu Qing to realize that Grave King was impossible to kill completely.

Grave King unleashed the Funeral Time Song, forcing the martial artists in Heavenly Secrets Valley to relive their grief and turning several into attackers. Chu Qing confronted Grave King, whose fists shattered Chu Qing’s saber, and prepared to continue the fight bare-handed.

• Grave King explained that the Funeral Time Song let him return from death and released an aura that drew out sorrowful memories, while Chu Qing and Wen Fusheng resisted its influence differently.
• Zuo Wenchuan chanted a Buddhist technique to soothe the afflicted, and Bian Cheng and Hua Jinnian lent him their inner strength as Wen Rou guarded Mo Duxing.
• Grave King’s influence drove Shao Ziheng, Zhuo Ku, and Chang Wei to attack; Wen Fusheng fought Shao Ziheng and Zhuo Ku, while Sun Xiaoxiang used the Five Ghosts Steal Heaven Technique to repel Chang Wei.
• Chu Qing recognized King Yama’s Decree on Chang Wei and learned that Grave King had planted it in him and others; Grave King then challenged Chu Qing to a fight using fists and kicks.
• Grave King’s punches shattered Chu Qing’s saber, and Chu Qing chose to test his own skills bare-handed against Grave King.

Tie Lingyun raced to Luochen Mountain Manor after Wen Fusheng’s letter revealed that his daughter had been seized, only to find the manor under attack and join its defense. Meanwhile, Chu Qing and Grave King continued their devastating duel in Heavenly Secrets Valley, ending with both launching another attack.

• Tie Lingyun arrived near Luochen Mountain Manor with Cheng Tieshan and his riders, saw fires blazing inside, and ordered his men to hurry because he feared for his daughter.
• Intruders set fires around Luochen Mountain Manor and attacked the Treasure Vault, but Wen Pingce, Wen Kaiyuan, and the Star Guards held them off until Chu Fan arrived and struck one attacker with a powerful punch.
• In Heavenly Secrets Valley, Wen Fusheng restrained the Heavenly Evil Cult disciples while Sun Xiaoxiang forced Chang Wei and Shao Ziheng back, and Bian Cheng, Wen Rou, Hua Jinnian, and Zuo Wenchuan fought the remaining enemies.
• Chu Qing and Grave King’s clash sent icy power, fierce winds, and destructive shock waves through the battlefield, killing a nearby Heavenly Evil Cult disciple.
• Grave King questioned how much strength Chu Qing had left, but Chu Qing challenged him, and both fighters wheeled back in midair to unleash their next attacks.

Chu Qing fought Grave King at Heavenly Secrets Valley, outlasting him with the Bright Jade True Scripture and overwhelming him with dragon-form palm strikes. Grave King ended crushed in a pit before the Heavenly Secrets Tower as Chu Qing landed and challenged anyone else to fight.

• Chu Qing and Grave King battled with fists and palms, and Grave King used the Ten Directions Fierce Wind Fist.
• Chu Qing drove Grave King through the Heavenly Secrets Tower and continued fighting him amid the battlefield, while Wen Fusheng killed Shao Ziheng and Not a Monk emerged from the tower among destroyed Grave King corpses.
• Sun Xiaoxiang entered the Heavenly Secrets Tower as Chu Qing unleashed a dragon-shaped force that drove Grave King through Heavenly Secrets Valley and tore open Recluse of Heavenly Secrets's formation.
• Grave King claimed his divine body-protecting art could withstand Chu Qing, but Chu Qing pressed the attack and outlasted him with the Bright Jade True Scripture.
• Chu Qing shattered Grave King's protection with repeated dragon palms and smashed him into a deep pit before the Heavenly Secrets Tower.
• Chu Qing landed beside the pit, stretched, and asked who would fight next.

Chu Qing defeated the Heavenly Evil Cult, but the collapse of Heavenly Secrets Valley trapped him and the surviving martial artists inside Tianxing Mountain. After leading the search for an escape route, Chu Qing followed Wen Rou’s sense of his scent through a hidden crack and broke through a wall to the outside, where he recognized their location.

• Grave King died after confirming that Chu Qing had won, and Chu Qing received a Body Protection Treasure Chest.
• Chu Qing ordered the Heavenly Evil Cult disciples killed, then led the survivors fleeing as Heavenly Secrets Valley sank underground.
• Not a Monk reported that all thirteen paths out of the mountain had collapsed, leaving the group trapped.
• Chu Qing quieted the arguing martial artists and organized a search for a way out through the hollow mountain.
• Wen Rou smelled Chu Qing’s scent above them, and Chu Qing found a concealed crack leading to another platform.
• Chu Qing shattered the mountain wall with Dragon Form Qi Energy and stepped outside, recognizing where he had emerged.

After escaping Heavenly Secrets Valley, Chu Qing learned that the fake Not a Monk was You Zong and received a mysterious token from Sun Xiaoxiang. Back at Luochen Mountain Manor, he faced Tie Lingyun over Tie Chuqing before visitors connected to the Grave King matter arrived.

• Chu Qing led Wen Fusheng and the others out of Heavenly Secrets Valley, then left with Wen Rou to pursue the monk whose scent she had tracked.
• Sun Xiaoxiang revealed that the supposed Not a Monk was You Zong, the greatest thief under heaven, and gave Chu Qing a sword-shaped token he had left as a reward.
• Chu Qing and Wen Rou returned to Luochen Mountain Manor and learned that Tie Lingyun had arrived and ended the manor’s turmoil.
• Tie Lingyun confronted Chu Qing about his daughter, but Chu Qing explained that he had rescued Tie Chuqing from Flower Beauty, and Tie Lingyun thanked him for saving her.
• Wen Fusheng raised the unresolved Grave King matter, then an announcement reported the arrival of Young Master Mo, Young Master Bian, and Young Master Chu of the Great Easy Sect.

After Sang Qing died during interrogation, Chu Qing completed his Execution Order mission and chose an upgraded Body Protection Treasure Chest. He obtained the Indestructible Golden Body and began absorbing its internal art, only to realize its expected vulnerable point was missing.

• Mo Duxing, Bian Cheng, and Chu Fan visited Wen Fusheng, and Chu Qing challenged Chu Fan to exchange pointers before Bian Cheng led him away.
• Chu Qing warned Tie Lingyun that the Heavenly Evil Cult might have infiltrated Iron Blood Hall, and Tie Lingyun took Tie Chuqing home.
• Chu Qing and Wen Fusheng interrogated Sang Qing, whose death completed Chu Qing's Execution Order mission and earned him a Hidden Weapon Treasure Chest.
• Chu Qing returned to his courtyard, chose the Body Protection Treasure Chest, and used his upgrade opportunity before opening it.
• Chu Qing obtained the Indestructible Golden Body and its internal art, then wondered why the martial art had no vulnerable point beneath the armpit.

Chu Qing fused the Indestructible Golden Body with the Bright Jade True Scripture and advanced the latter to the tenth realm, then reunited with Chu Fan and revealed that he was the Night Emperor. He left Chu Fan with plans to deal with Mirror of Sin and a promise to proceed carefully.

• Chu Qing merged the Indestructible Golden Body's internal energy into the Bright Jade True Scripture, reaching its tenth realm and creating a frost-laden protective aura.
• Chu Fan, Bian Cheng, Wen Rou, and Mo Duxing visited Chu Qing's courtyard, where his cultivation's intense chill repelled Si Ye and left frost across the grounds.
• After Chu Qing emerged from seclusion, he cured Si Ye's lingering cold qi and invited Chu Fan inside to talk privately.
• Chu Qing explained his past and revealed that he was the Night Emperor, leaving Chu Fan shocked that his younger brother had been the identity he first heard about in the martial world.
• Chu Fan grew furious at Mirror of Sin, but Chu Qing explained that he had evaded their pursuit and told him not to act rashly.
• Chu Fan agreed to trust Chu Qing's plans and urged him to be careful, while Chu Qing resolved to settle accounts with Mirror of Sin.

Chu Qing reunited with Chu Fan at Luochen Mountain Manor, gave him letters for their family and Wu Qianhuan, and secretly taught him three moves of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. As the brothers returned, the marriage tournament resumed, and Gongsun Wu’s brutal reputation threatened Wen Kerén.

• Chu Qing told Chu Fan about his plans to draw out Mirror of Sin and asked him to deliver letters to Chu Tian, Chu Yunfei, and Wu Qianhuan.
• Chu Qing wrote the letters, sharing martial insights and the Bone Melting Palm formula with his family, then gave Chu Fan a personal letter for Wu Qianhuan.
• Chu Qing summoned Chu Fan at midnight and taught him Arrogant Dragon Regrets, Flying Dragon in the Sky, and Seeing the Dragon in the Field.
• Chu Qing told Chu Fan he planned to visit the Great Constancy Sect, and the brothers found Wen Fusheng hosting the marriage tournament again when they returned to the manor.
• Zuo Wenchuan left the manor escorting Xu Mao and Xu Qiaohui, while Chu Qing speculated that Zuo Wenchuan might be developing feelings for Xu Qiaohui.
• Gongsun Wu continued winning the tournament despite rumors that he had beaten his three wives to death, and Chu Qing asked Chu Fan what he thought of Wen Kerén.

After Si Ye won the Martial Arts Competition for Marriage, Chu Qing left Luochen Mountain Manor and Wen Rou secretly followed him. They reached Iron Ring Town in Iron Blood Hall territory, where a suspicious group arrived at their inn and a scholar identified them as mountain bandits.

• Si Ye won the Martial Arts Competition for Marriage, and the guests gradually left Luochen Mountain Manor.
• Chu Qing agreed to open a shop within Wen Fusheng’s sphere of influence in exchange for help with his plans, then departed with Ling Beichen’s ashes.
• Wen Rou followed Chu Qing, explaining that Wen Fusheng had told her to go with him, and Chu Qing accepted her company.
• Chu Qing and Wen Rou traveled north and stopped for the night in Iron Ring Town, where Wen Rou showed him a money pouch she had picked up.
• A suspicious group entered the inn, and a scholar in the corner wondered aloud why mountain bandits had come into Iron Blood Hall territory.

Chu Qing and Wen Rou discovered that the money pouch held a deposit for an attempted assassination of Liu Yulai and planned to travel to Setting Star City. That night, a powerful scholar slaughtered the bandits attacking Iron Ring Town while Chu Qing and Wen Rou helped drive off the rest, and Chu Qing learned that Blazing Fire Hall had launched a full-scale attack on Iron Blood Hall.

• Chu Qing found a note naming 'Azure Sun Hand' Liu Yulai in Wen Rou's pouch and realized the money was likely an assassination deposit.
• Chu Qing decided that he and Wen Rou would set out for Setting Star City in the morning to investigate.
• A clumsy black-clad woman tried to poison the scholar through a hole in the roof, but a bandit raid interrupted her attempt.
• The scholar revealed formidable martial arts, killed the bandits who attacked him, and chased after the black-clad woman.
• Chu Qing and Wen Rou fought the remaining bandits, then Chu Qing learned from a captive that the raid had followed rumors of a full-scale Blazing Fire Hall attack on Iron Blood Hall.

Chu Qing and Wen Rou encountered Nian Xin and Nian An confronting the Seven Connected Mountain Forts, whose leaders were preparing to seize Setting Star City. When Iron Blood Hall arrived, Chu Qing joined the battle and stopped a hidden Mirror of Sin agent from assassinating Liu Yulai.

• Chu Qing and Wen Rou left Iron Ring Town and discovered Nian Xin and Nian An trying to make the Seven Connected Mountain Forts submit.
• The fort leaders revealed their plan to attack Setting Star City, while Nian Xin crushed a saber to protect the captured female assassin.
• Iron Blood Hall forces led by Liu Yulai attacked the bandits, and Nian Xin, Nian An, the Five Horizontal Saber Tigers, and the assassin fled the scene.
• Chu Qing entered the battle in disguise and fought his way toward Liu Yulai as the Seven Connected Mountain Forts' leaders surrounded him.
• An Iron Blood Hall disciple tried to stab Liu Yulai from behind, but Chu Qing pierced the attacker's arm and seized him, declaring that Mirror of Sin would not succeed.

Chu Qing rescued Liu Yulai from a Mirror of Sin assassin, then learned the organization suspected him of being Sword Ghost and had stopped investigating Night Emperor because of his powerful backing. Disguised as Han San with Wen Rou as Han Si, Chu Qing followed the beggar to Zhou Manor in Setting Star City, where they spotted a ragged man advertising himself as “Selling Oneself to Kill!”

• Chu Qing wounded the assassin who tried to kill Liu Yulai, helping Liu Yulai and Iron Blood Hall defeat the Seven Connected Mountain Forts chiefs before Chu Qing disappeared.
• The injured assassin met a beggar in a Mountain God Temple, where the beggar identified Chu Qing’s swift sword as matching Sword Ghost’s and said Mirror of Sin had halted its investigation into Night Emperor.
• After the beggar left for Setting Star City, Chu Qing and Wen Rou revealed themselves; Chu Qing explained his grievances with Mirror of Sin and decided to follow the beggar in disguise.
• Chu Qing disguised Wen Rou and himself as Han Si and Han San, then Wen Rou tracked the beggar to Zhou Manor in Setting Star City.
• As Chu Qing and Wen Rou looked for an inn, they spotted a ragged man beside a sign reading “Selling Oneself to Kill!”

Chu Qing rescued a scarred young woman who had been offering herself to anyone willing to help her kill Star Chasing Sword Guo Wang. She revealed that Guo Wang had murdered her family and burned her village after she refused him, and gave Chu Qing her name: Shen Hongye.

• Chu Qing learned that a scarred woman in Setting Star City was seeking someone to help her kill, then later carried her to a secluded spot and gave her food and water.
• The woman told Chu Qing that she wanted revenge on Star Chasing Sword Guo Wang, one of Lu Zhiwei's three generals.
• Shen Hongye recounted how Guo Wang killed her parents, crippled her brother, violated and killed her sister-in-law, and destroyed Redwood Village after she rejected him.
• Shen Hongye explained that she had gone to Setting Star City hoping Tie Lingyun would help her, but he had already left, so she offered herself to anyone who would avenge her family.
• Shen Hongye told Chu Qing her name and explained that her mother had named her after the red leaves that fell on the day she was born.

Chu Qing investigated Shen Hongye’s request to kill Guo Wang and discovered that Guo Wang was plotting to seize Setting Star City with several gangs while arranging Liu Yulai’s assassination. After hearing Guo Wang admit to killing Shen Hongye’s family, Chu Qing intervened as Guo Wang attacked a kidnapped girl, and Guo Wang tried to flee.

• Chu Qing gave Shen Hongye ten taels of silver for treatment and lodging, then followed her to make sure she survived.
• Chu Qing infiltrated Guo Wang’s residence and followed a black-clad man, who was Guo Wang, to the Mountain God Temple.
• Chu Qing overheard Guo Wang and four gang leaders plan to take Setting Star City after the Mirror of Sin killed Liu Yulai, and watched Guo Wang execute a man who wanted to seize the city for himself.
• Guo Wang revealed that he had killed Shen Hongye’s family after she refused him, then accepted a kidnapped girl as a gift from the gang leaders.
• Chu Qing stopped Guo Wang from assaulting the girl and told her to wait while he dealt with him.
• After Chu Qing revealed that he had heard Guo Wang’s schemes, Guo Wang used a feint and tried to escape.

Chu Qing killed Guo Wang for his crimes, then delivered evidence of Guo Wang’s plot against Liu Yulai and warned him that the Mirror of Sin would come for him. Liu Yulai tried to repay Chu Qing for saving his life, and Chu Qing said he wanted help with three things.

• Chu Qing defeated Guo Wang’s fast swordsmanship, crippled him, and killed him after recalling the villagers and Shen Hongye’s family he had harmed.
• Chu Qing gave Liu Yulai Tie Chuqing’s token and a document, convincing him that he was the Eldest Young Lady’s friend.
• Chu Qing showed Liu Yulai Guo Wang’s letter, and Liu Yulai recognized the handwriting and condemned Guo Wang’s treachery.
• Chu Qing handed Liu Yulai Guo Wang’s head and warned that Guo Wang had hired the Mirror of Sin to kill him within two days.
• Liu Yulai realized Chu Qing had saved his life and offered to repay him, but Chu Qing stopped him from kneeling and asked him to help with three things.

Chu Qing obtained the Dragon Claw Hand, arranged Shen Hongye’s care and training, and uncovered Zhou Fu'an’s connection to the Mirror of Sin. As Chu Qing prepared to provoke the hidden enemy, Zhou Fu'an learned that three experts from the Seventy-Two Evil Execution List would arrive the next day.

• Chu Qing opened the Martial Arts Treasure Chest and learned the Dragon Claw Hand, then arranged for Liu Yulai to investigate Zhou Manor, shelter Shen Hongye, and pay him to deal with Mirror of Sin assassins.
• Liu Yulai brought Chu Qing and Wen Rou to the Iron Blood Hall, gave Chu Qing information on Zhou Manor, and reported that Shen Hongye had resisted coming with his men.
• Chu Qing and Wen Rou recognized Zhou Fu'an as the beggar who served as the Mirror of Sin’s contact, and Chu Qing told Liu Yulai to intensify the investigation to make the Zhou family panic.
• Chu Qing brought Guo Wang’s head to Shen Hongye, arranged for her to stay with the Iron Blood Hall, and taught her the Chaos God Technique and four Dragon Claw Hand forms.
• Zhou Fu'an grew uneasy as Liu Yulai’s investigation continued, then received a secret letter announcing that three great experts from the Seventy-Two Evil Execution List would arrive the next day.

Chu Qing accepted a new commission to slay the visitors from the Mirror of Sin’s Evil Execution List, then confronted a group targeting Liu Yulai. After killing the Sword of Farewell and two other attackers, he faced the remaining masked assassins while Liu Yulai left to deal with the forces outside the city.

• Chu Qing accepted the “Nameless on the List” commission and realized its stages would involve hunting the seventy-two assassins on the Evil Execution List.
• Liu Yulai told Chu Qing that thousands of fighters from the four gangs and the Seven Connected Mountain Forts had gathered outside Setting Star City to challenge them.
• Chu Qing and Liu Yulai’s group encountered the Sword of Farewell, who demanded Liu Yulai be left behind and prepared to attack.
• Chu Qing seized the Sword of Farewell’s wrist, tore off his arm, and killed him, then revealed the other Mirror of Sin assassins hiding nearby.
• Chu Qing killed two attackers who tried to stop Liu Yulai from leaving, and told the remaining enemies not to interfere as Liu Yulai departed.