Chapter Summaries

Le Yu read the war report and learned that White Night had reclaimed Dongyang, then heard Zhu Yan’s uncertain theory about canceling the Holy Sword Huiyao’s vacancy. At the White Box Library, Lai Ya recreated Cha Shiyin’s childhood pudding, giving him a birthday taste he had long missed.

• Le Yu read the war report, saw that White Night had retaken Dongyang, and noted Lan Yan’s Coastal Army was conducting joint exercises with the Blood Source Army.
• Zhu Yan told Le Yu that historical records offered no known way to cancel the Holy Sword’s vacancy, but a passage in Records of Emperor Gaozu suggested it might involve the people’s hearts and the Saint.
• Le Yu visited Shi Wen in the Forest of Myriad Forms and teased him before starting their training.
• Lai Ya brought Cha Shiyin a dessert modeled on his childhood favorite, and he recognized it as pudding.
• Cha Shiyin let Lai Ya serve the dessert at the cafeteria, then quietly wished himself a happy birthday as he finished it.

Qing Lan read about the Fifth Wonder of Silver Blood and discovered that Qin Leyin’s latest newspaper issue had named her. Mu Qingmei visited her, complained about Jing Zhengfeng’s ambition, and showed her the issue.

• Qing Lan read in bed while waiting for Mu Qingmei, who arrived angry and asked her to guess what had upset her.
• Qing Lan guessed that Jing Zhengfeng had caused trouble, but Mu Qingmei dismissed him as unworthy of her anger.
• Mu Qingmei handed Qing Lan the latest Qin Leyin School newspaper, which reported on Qin Leyin’s Eight Wonders of Silver Blood.
• Qing Lan saw the issue’s title, “Fifth Wonder of Silver Blood, Qing Lan,” and reacted with astonishment and amusement.

Qing Lan recognized signs that Qin Leyin knew her personally and decided to leave the Youth Newspaper Agency for Flame Capital. She handed the agency to Mu Qingmei and prepared to depart now that the road had reopened.

• Qing Lan read Qin Leyin’s flattering account of her and suspected he knew about her nightly reading habit.
• Qing Lan reviewed White Night’s files on Qin Leyin and connected his projects and references to people and events from Jing Zhengwei’s past.
• Qing Lan told Mu Qingmei she would make her the Youth Newspaper Agency’s Chief Editor.
• Qing Lan explained that she had long planned to travel to Flame Capital, and Mu Qingmei agreed to arrange her departure within ten days.
• Qing Lan comforted the tearful Mu Qingmei and looked forward to setting out for Flame Capital.

Le Yu joked with Yin online, then patrolled the Imperial Academy with Ning Xinyuan while searching for the Blood Essence Stone. Ning Xinyuan tried to grow closer to him in person, but his blunt answers left her speechless.

• Le Yu told Yin a dirty joke about Qing Lan, then admitted he had only wanted an excuse to chat with her.
• Le Yu reflected on Qing Lan's popularity and how her intelligence-based legend had opened a new market for stories.
• Le Yu took a night patrol shift, hoping to find the Blood Essence Stone while presenting himself as a diligent vice principal.
• Le Yu met Ning Xinyuan at the central plaza, and they began patrolling together.
• Ning Xinyuan asked Le Yu about Qing Lan and tried several topics to start a conversation, but his literal replies frustrated her.

Le Yu and Ning Xinyuan discussed the Sword Quest for Succession and speculated that it was meant to give the seven surviving Imperial family members a happy youth while choosing a new emperor. Their conversation ended when a Savage attacked them inside the Imperial Academy, revealing that he was in the Pinnacle Realm.

• Le Yu argued that the Sword Quest for Succession was a game focused on achieving its goals, not killing the other Sword Bearers, and Ning Xinyuan suggested the Sword Bearer wanted to heal the seven Palace Masters.
• Le Yu said Yin was the only Sword Bearer who could overwhelm him and boasted that he planned to use their friendship to form an alliance and betray her if needed.
• Le Yu and Ning Xinyuan agreed to stand guard near the old teaching building, but a Savage burst out of the ground and attacked them.
• Ning Xinyuan transformed her belt into a long gun and revealed that she had been questioning Le Yu to gather information before attacking him.
• The Savage brushed aside Ning Xinyuan's shot and descended on them with the aura of a Terrestrial Immortal, revealing himself to be in the Pinnacle Realm.

Le Yu and Ning Xinyuan fought Wuzhiqi, a barbarian Martial Pillar who planned to capture them amid a citywide uprising that prevented reinforcements from reaching them. As Ning Xinyuan tried to buy Le Yu ten minutes, he activated the Nayser’s Heart replica to raise his combat arts by one realm.

• Le Yu and Ning Xinyuan signaled for help and tried to escape, but Wuzhiqi revealed that he intended to take them alive in stone coffins.
• Wuzhiqi explained that coordinated allies had blocked their signals and that chaos across Yanjing would keep anyone from noticing them.
• Wuzhiqi attacked Ning Xinyuan, but Le Yu intervened and she wounded him with a Heart-Intent Bullet.
• Wuzhiqi gave his name and began counting down, demanding that they surrender.
• Le Yu asked Ning Xinyuan to buy him ten minutes, then activated the Demigod power of the Nayser’s Heart replica.

Le Yu and Ning Xinyuan fought Wuzhiqi, who used Moonlight Curtain and overwhelmed them despite their coordinated attacks. Just as Wuzhiqi pierced Le Yu and he expected to reach the Pinnacle Realm, he awoke inside Wuzhiqi’s body and realized the red-haired Qin Leyin before him was an illusion.

• Le Yu and Ning Xinyuan attacked Wuzhiqi together, but its Moonlight Curtain concealed its position and its blows badly injured them.
• Wuzhiqi explained that demons learned human combat arts to survive, recalled the humans who slaughtered its family, and revealed it had been stalling until only one minute remained.
• Wuzhiqi pierced Le Yu’s chest during its Eclipse Moon attack, but Le Yu activated Undeath and continued fighting as Ning Xinyuan watched.
• Wuzhiqi tore out Le Yu’s organs just before the ten-minute mark, and Le Yu suddenly opened his eyes inside Wuzhiqi’s body as the red-haired Qin Leyin stood before him.
• Le Yu recognized Qin Leyin as an illusion and slapped him into the ground when he attacked.

Le Yu subdued Wuzhiqi and Ning Xinyuan, then discovered that Wuzhiqi's power had brought him to the Pinnacle Realm. When Shi Pantou appeared, Wuzhiqi's memories overwhelmed Le Yu until he activated his Ice-Blood Physique and reclaimed his own identity.

• Le Yu beat down Wuzhiqi and knocked the Overlord Butterfly Long Gun away from the injured Ning Xinyuan.
• Le Yu checked the system and found that he had inherited advanced Water Moon Combat Arts and reached the Pinnacle Realm.
• A gray-robed monkey demon named Shi Pantou emerged and rushed to help Qin Leyin, prompting Wuzhiqi's memories to surge through Le Yu.
• Le Yu nearly lost himself to Wuzhiqi's memories and violent impulses, but activated his Ice-Blood Physique to regain control.
• Le Yu realized that replacing the death of someone in the Pinnacle Realm could let that person's identity overwhelm him, as Cha Huan might have done.

After dying, Le Yu exchanged souls with Wuzhiqi and struggled to keep control while treating Qin Leyin. As he examined his altered system, he discovered that his Ice-Blood Physique had transformed into the Immortal Blood Physique.

• Le Yu absorbed Wuzhiqi's memories and used the Ice-Blood Physique to hold on to his own identity.
• Le Yu and Shi Pantou treated Qin Leyin, while Le Yu disabled Qin Leyin and took his Saint's Relic bracelet.
• Le Yu realized that Undeath had caused a bug when Rebirth Through Death exchanged his soul with Wuzhiqi's.
• Le Yu examined his system and found that the Ice-Blood Physique had been replaced by the Immortal Blood Physique.

Le Yu examined Wuzhiqi’s Immortal Blood Physique and learned how its divine abilities and Slaughter worked. After helping Shi Pantou move the rescued targets into stone coffins, he realized the unfolding plot reached beyond Flame Capital City and threatened all of Radiance.

• Le Yu learned that Immortal Blood Physique granted Supreme Emotionlessness, Ascension to Immortality, Illuminating the Spiritual Platform, and Wuzhiqi’s Slaughter ability.
• Le Yu discovered that demon clans had gained immortal blood from the Blood Essence Stone, whose offerings had never been gathered in Radiance.
• Le Yu considered using Slaughter against Shi Pantou, but abandoned the idea after recalling Shi Pantou’s cloning ability.
• With Shi Pantou’s help, Le Yu treated “Qin Leyin” until he recovered, then placed him and the injured Ning Xinyuan in stone coffins.
• Le Yu realized that the demon clans’ and National Salvation and Relief Society’s plans concerned all of Radiance, with Demonic Blood Transformation and Forging Huiyao threatening the imperial clan’s rule.

As Yanjing descended into chaos, Xianchan Chenchen defied the Statistics Department’s dispute and set out for the Imperial Academy, believing the attackers were targeting Holy Sword Huiyao and Qin Leyin. Zhaoye Bai poisoned him and drove him into the slums, leaving his fate uncertain.

• Dou Yaqing urged the Statistics Department to send agents to aid Yanjing, while Sima Feihong insisted they stay and await Xie Chenyuan.
• Jiu Jiujiu proposed splitting the agents, but Xianchan Chenchen backed Dou Yaqing and then left with Zhaoye Bai to kill people.
• Xianchan Chenchen reasoned that the attacks were meant to distract Yanjing while enemies targeted Holy Sword Huiyao at the Imperial Academy.
• After learning Qin Leyin’s Heart of Nayser had shattered, Xianchan Chenchen decided to go save him, claiming he still wanted to kill him himself.
• Zhaoye Bai drove toward the Eighteen Alleys instead of the Imperial Academy, and Xianchan Chenchen realized she had poisoned the candy she gave him.
• Zhaoye Bai put the drowsy Xianchan Chenchen to sleep, explaining that she had acted because he remembered Qin Leyin’s distress fireworks.

Su Su stayed behind to protect the wounded Gu Huaiwang but was killed by a short, three-eyed attacker. Le Yu reached an underground hall where the leaders of several nonhuman races had gathered to seize Holy Sword Huiyao, and the mysterious president of the National Salvation and Relief Society prepared to begin.

• Su Su ordered Tong Cuixia to take the surviving guards to the Northern Army camp while he treated Gu Huaiwang, and he told Tong Cuixia not to spare Qin Leyin if he died.
• A short attacker pierced Su Su's armor and wounded him, but another sword strike cut the attacker's corpse in two as Le Yu passed through the tunnel below.
• Le Yu and Shi Pantou arrived at the underground hall carrying two stone coffins, where Smile and representatives of the Grass Barbarian, Naga, and Titan races were waiting.
• Zong Taiji and Sasa Jue Luo nearly fought until Smile stopped them, and Sihis urged the group to proceed with their plan to obtain Holy Sword Huiyao.
• Smile called on the president of the National Salvation and Relief Society to begin, and the chapter revealed that the president was not one of the Radiant People.

The Chairman and the demons prepared to use the captured sword sheaths and the Book of the Dead to seize Holy Sword Huiyao, even though Thousand Faces was still missing. Hanuman was revealed to be Thousand Faces in disguise, and his ability to recognize people by their souls put Le Yu on guard.

• Smile explained that the captured sword sheaths included Nieruo, Mietangya, Cai Nü, Qin Leyin, the Instant Annihilator, and Feng Lü, while Thousand Faces remained unaccounted for.
• The Chairman revealed the Book of the Dead and explained that the six sword sheaths' imprints could summon Holy Sword Huiyao and let the Society take control of it.
• The guards opened the coffins and stabbed the sword sheaths' right hands with stone knives as Feng Lü pierced his own hand, activating their imprints.
• The Chairman identified Hanuman as the seventh sword sheath, and Smile crushed him and broke his limbs as he tried to flee.
• Thousand Faces revealed that Hanuman had died half a month earlier and that he had killed him after gaining his trust by posing as a macaque.
• Thousand Faces explained that soul fragments let him recognize people across changes of identity, then looked toward Le Yu, who silently clenched his fists.

As the Royal Academy came under attack, Ming Shuangli and the other princesses realized that their sword sheaths were missing and likely in mortal danger. They persuaded the Sword Bearer to reveal the sword sheaths’ locations, then prepared to leave the academy to find them.

• Ming Shuangli noticed Nieruo and the other sword sheaths had gone silent, and the princesses shared their fears that all seven had been captured.
• Ming Yueyan felt Thousand-Faced suffering, confirming that he had not escaped the attack.
• Ming Shuangli pleaded with the Sword Bearer to reveal Nieruo’s location, declaring that Nieruo was her only family and she would withdraw from the succession quest if necessary.
• Ming Chaoyan, Ming Dailan, and the other princesses joined Ming Shuangli in threatening to break the Sword Bearer’s rules unless the sword sheaths were saved.
• The Sword Bearer let the princesses use their imprints to locate their sword sheaths, while warning that they would be unprotected outside the academy.
• Ming Shuangli led the princesses in preparing to leave the academy, and the Sword Bearer warned them that they might have to rescue survivors or collect corpses.

Le Yu watched the president begin a ritual to summon the Huiyao Imperial Family’s holy sword, while Qianmian urged him to help the Radiant People and call for reinforcements. Le Yu provoked Zong Taiji into a fight that broke through to the surface, where Cha Huan noticed the clash.

• Qianmian revealed that he had sent intelligence to the court, but the president explained that Nan Liujing had handed him over and ordered the ritual to begin.
• The president opened the Book of the Dead and drew golden light from the scabbards, weaving it into a holy sword as Le Yu assessed the powerful enemies surrounding him.
• Le Yu realized Qianmian was asking him to disrupt the ritual and summon reinforcements, so he deliberately stepped on Zong Taiji’s foot to provoke him.
• Le Yu activated Slaughter and used Eight Rice Flow techniques to punch Zong Taiji through the earth and out beneath the night sky.
• Le Yu and Zong Taiji clashed as Martial Pillars, darkening the nearby sky, and Cha Huan noticed the fight from the Imperial Court’s walls.

Smiling and the allied races learned that Wuzhiqi had defected and prepared to confront the seven Martial Pillars closing in on them. Smiling assigned opponents to his companions and claimed he would hold off Cha Huan, Yu Ke, and Xie Chenyuan himself.

• The president and Smiling discussed Wuzhiqi's betrayal, and Smiling led the allied fighters out to meet the enemy while the president stayed behind to summon the sacred sword.
• Zong Taiji explained that Wuzhiqi had attacked him and then fled, confirming to the others that Wuzhiqi had defected.
• Smiling counted seven approaching Martial Pillars and assigned Sasa Jue Luo to Crane Tear, Zong Taiji to Cui Yan, Shi Pantou to Bai Letian, and Sihis to Mo Yu and the Imperial Guards.
• Smiling named Cha Huan, Yu Ke, and Xie Chenyuan as the remaining opponents and said he would handle all three while the others delayed their assigned foes.
• Smiling urged the group to slaughter their enemies so they could earn the right to live beneath the sunlight.

Cha Huan and the other Martial Pillars rushed to investigate Qin Leyin’s distress signal, but Smile used the Blood Essence Stone to trap them and unleashed overwhelming power against Flame Capital’s strongest fighters. Smile declared that they would become stepping stones for immortals.

• Cha Huan and Crane Tear led the Martial Pillars toward the courtyard, where Cui Yan identified Smile and four barbarian warriors waiting to intercept them.
• Cha Huan and Crane Tear attempted to bypass the enemy line, but Smile activated the Blood Essence Stone and bound the seven Martial Pillars with blood chains.
• Cui Yan attacked the Blood Essence Stone while Sihis, Zong Taiji, Sasa Jue Luo, and Shi Pantou engaged Mo Yu, Cui Yan, Crane Tear, and Bai Letian.
• Yu Ke and Xie Chenyuan joined the fighting as Cha Huan cast Shrouding Heaven and Obscuring Moon around Smile.
• Smile struck Cha Huan, Yu Ke, and Xie Chenyuan down and said the strongest men in the mortal world should become stepping stones for immortals.

Cha Huan, Yu Ke, and Xie Chenyuan fought Smiling while trying to persuade him to negotiate, but Smiling revealed the Radiant People’s dependence on the Demon Race and his identity as the last Behemoth. He rejected Cha Huan’s offer to talk and declared that his commands would determine the earth’s fate.

• Smiling battered Cha Huan, Yu Ke, and Xie Chenyuan as they tried to learn his aims and persuade him to negotiate instead of fighting.
• Smiling explained that the Demon Race had to wage war to survive, while Xie Chenyuan proposed relocating the demons to Scardy.
• Smiling revealed that Radiance also depended on wars with the Four Barbarians, and accused Xie Chenyuan of never intending to negotiate honestly.
• Cha Huan and Yu Ke attacked Smiling, and Xie Chenyuan broke his mask, exposing his Behemoth face.
• Smiling revealed that he was the last Behemoth and rejected Cha Huan’s proposal to work together and talk things out.
• Smiling declared that he would not negotiate and that his commands would become the fate of the earth.

Cha Huan, Yu Ke, and Xie Chenyuan used coordinated tactics from Art of War Theory to turn the battle against Smile, exploiting the limits of his Myriad Transformations ability. Smile unleashed his deadliest attack, but the three Martial Pillars broke through it and Cha Huan knocked him to his knees.

• Cha Huan, Yu Ke, and Xie Chenyuan agreed to use Chapter Six of Art of War Theory and began attacking Smile in a coordinated formation.
• Smile transformed the air into steel weapons, but the three Martial Pillars anticipated his attacks and forced him to defend from every direction.
• Cha Huan explained that Smile's vast Mental Power still let him form only one thought at a time, and the trio continued exploiting that limit.
• After Yu Ke kicked Smile in the face, Smile lost his temper and unleashed Myriad Transformations: Heaven's Net, Earth's Snare.
• Yu Ke tore through the attack, Xie Chenyuan pierced Smile's knee, and Cha Huan struck his head into the ground, leaving him kneeling and defeated.

Smiley was overwhelmed by the coordinated attacks of Cha Huan, Yu Ke, and Xie Chenyuan, but he claimed that an irrevocable fate had already secured his victory. Cha Huan then saw a werewolf wearing Mo Yu’s uniform attack the Twelve Forbidden Guards, realizing the battle in Flame Capital was only one part of a much larger plan.

• Smiley was beaten into the mortal realm by Cha Huan, Yu Ke, and Xie Chenyuan using Cha Huan’s Art of War Combined Attack.
• Smiley unleashed a powerful shriek that knocked the three attackers back as the Blood Essence Stone sent a crimson beam into the sky.
• Yu Ke, Xie Chenyuan, and Cha Huan surrounded Smiley, but Smiley declared that his victory was destined and could not be changed.
• Cha Huan spotted a snow-white werewolf wearing Mo Yu’s uniform attacking the Twelve Forbidden Guards near Sihis.
• Cha Huan realized he could not stop what was happening and that Flame Capital was only a small part of the larger chessboard.