Chapter Summaries

Li Xiao discovered that Cao Rui, a True Disciple, had exchanged for the Sixth Turn Martial Master’s finger he wanted, and accepted Cao Rui’s challenge to win it back. They arrived at the Returning Origin Peak Martial Arts Training Ground before a crowd, where Cao Rui’s deep True Qi showed the strength of his long experience in the Fifth Turn Marrow Birth Realm.

• Li Xiao brought the remaining Contribution Points to the Exchange Hall, but the Deacon told him Cao Rui had already exchanged for the finger.
• Cao Rui introduced himself as a True Disciple of Iron Wire Peak and challenged Li Xiao to a spar, offering the finger if Li Xiao won and asking for Li Xiao’s Contribution Points if he lost.
• Li Xiao accepted because he needed the blood of a Sixth Turn Martial Master, and news of the match quickly spread through the Sect.
• Li Xiao and Cao Rui went to the Returning Origin Peak Martial Arts Training Ground as Disciples and elders gathered to watch.
• Cao Rui said they would stop at the right point, then released deep True Qi that made the Disciples at the edge retreat.

Li Xiao fought Cao Rui to a standstill in the Martial Arts Training Ground, and Cao Rui conceded after realizing he could not secure a worthwhile victory. Cao Rui revealed that Shen Qingyun had asked him to test Li Xiao, then gave Li Xiao five thousand Contribution Points and warned him to be careful of Shen Qingyun as the Candidate Saint Son Battle approached.

• Cao Rui attacked Li Xiao with Iron Wire Fist imprints, but Li Xiao countered with his Fifth Turn Flying Cloud Leg and movement technique.
• The two exchanged attacks until Cao Rui exhausted more than half his True Qi and conceded, while Li Xiao remained standing.
• Li Xiao told Cao Rui that their fight could be considered a draw, but Cao Rui admitted he had been sent to test Li Xiao by Shen Qingyun.
• Cao Rui offered Li Xiao five thousand Contribution Points as an apology, and Li Xiao accepted the wooden box.
• Cao Rui urged Li Xiao to prepare for the Candidate Saint Son Battle and warned him to be careful of Shen Qingyun.

After defeating Cao Rui, Li Xiao sought a way to extract Essence Blood from a Sixth Turn expert’s severed finger for the Seven Orifice Insect. The Flying Cloud Peak Master extracted three drops and gave them to Li Xiao.

• Li Xiao returned to his courtyard after defeating Cao Rui and realized his Iron Wire Fist and Azure Wave Palm had not reached the Fifth Turn.
• Li Xiao examined the Sixth Turn expert’s finger and realized he lacked a way to extract its Essence Blood.
• Li Xiao asked Elder Gu for help, but Elder Gu said only an expert above the Sixth Turn could extract the Essence Blood without destroying it.
• Elder Gu told Li Xiao that the Sect Master, the Flying Cloud Peak Master, and the Azure Wave Peak Master could help, so Li Xiao brought the finger to the Flying Cloud Peak Master.
• The Flying Cloud Peak Master asked Li Xiao to return in three days, then gave him a jade bottle containing three drops of Essence Blood.

Li Xiao used the Sixth Turn expert’s Essence Blood to complete the Seven Orifice Insect’s fifth ritual, producing three controllable Sub-insects. He then gave Elder Zhao bone powder from the same expert to add to his bow, which might become a high-grade or top-grade Treasure Weapon.

• The Peak Master gave Li Xiao a Jade Bottle containing three drops of Sixth Turn Essence Blood and a bottle of bone powder from the expert’s finger bone.
• Li Xiao fed the Essence Blood to the Seven Orifice Insect, completing its fifth ritual and enabling it to produce three Sub-insects.
• Li Xiao tested his control over the Sub-insects and returned them to the Jade Bottle with the Mother Insect.
• Li Xiao brought the bone powder to Elder Zhao at Divine Weapon Hall and asked him to add it to the bow being forged.
• Elder Zhao agreed the bone powder could greatly improve the bow and might let it inherit a trace of the Sixth Turn expert’s Martial Way True Intent.

Li Xiao prepared to feed the Seven Orifice Insect with his heart's essence blood, and Elder Gu provided Pills to help him endure the pain and replenish his Qi and Blood. Li Xiao began the seven-day ritual, and by the fourth day he was visibly weakened while the insect continued to grow and change.

• Li Xiao went to the Alchemy Hall and asked Elder Gu to refine Pills to replenish Qi and Blood and suppress pain.
• Elder Gu used saved heart meat from a Fifth Turn Demonic Beast to refine three Blood Qi Pills and three Mind Calming Pills for Li Xiao.
• Back in his courtyard, Li Xiao swallowed a Mind Calming Pill, wounded his chest, and fed the Seven Orifice Insect a drop of heart's essence blood.
• Li Xiao repeated the ritual each day, using Blood Qi Pills and Mind Calming Pills to cope with the growing pain and loss of blood.
• By the fourth day, Li Xiao had grown pale and gaunt, while the Seven Orifice Insect had enlarged and its golden-red body had deepened to dark gold.

Li Xiao completed both rituals of the Seven Orifice Insect, enduring severe blood loss and the destruction of his seven orifices before beginning to recover. As the Sect sent a force to fight the Demon Race, he focused on regaining his strength with Fifth Turn Demonic Beast meat.

• After five days of blood offerings, Li Xiao completed the Seven Orifice Insect's first ritual, allowing it to create sub-insects, parasitize others, absorb Essence Qi, and return it to him.
• Li Xiao fed the insect blood from his seven orifices, completing its second ritual and granting it the ability to absorb True Qi and return it to him.
• Three days later, Li Xiao's seven orifices had begun to recover, and he told Qingluo that a cultivation mishap had left him injured.
• The Peak Master of Flying Cloud Peak led eight Fifth Turns and fifty Fourth Turn Disciples from Three Origins City toward the Yu Kingdom to fight the Demon Race.
• Li Xiao sent Qingluo and Bitao to buy Fifth Turn Demonic Beast meat, then told them to stew the twenty jin they brought back so he could replenish his Qi and Blood.

Li Xiao recovered from his injuries by eating demonic beast meat and Blood Qi Pills while considering potential hosts for his Sub-insects. Once his face had healed, he went to the Divine Weapon Hall to collect the bow Elder Zhao had forged.

• Li Xiao ate bowl after bowl of Fifth-Turn Realm demonic beast meat, replenishing his Qi and Blood as Qingluo and Bitao prepared his meals.
• As he recuperated, Li Xiao considered which people would make suitable hosts for Sub-insects that absorbed different kinds of energy, but decided to wait until he was stronger.
• Over more than ten days, Li Xiao's strength, complexion, and seven apertures recovered, and the scars on his face disappeared.
• A disciple told Li Xiao that Elder Zhao had finished forging his bow and asked him to collect it at the Divine Weapon Hall.
• Li Xiao went to the Divine Weapon Hall, where Elder Zhao greeted him and held out the longbow.

Li Xiao collected the newly forged Po Jun bow and tested its immense power at the Back Mountain, then practiced with it daily to improve his Swift Wind Thunderclap Arrow. The chapter ended by introducing Shen Qingyun’s residence among the senior disciples of Flying Cloud Peak’s Inner Sect.

• Elder Zhao gave Li Xiao Po Jun, a powerful bow made with Iron Essence Wood, a Fifth Turn Demonic Beast’s tendons, and bone powder from Sixth Turn experts, along with twenty specially made arrows.
• Li Xiao named the bow Po Jun and went to the Back Mountain to test it, firing an arrow that struck a lake seven hundred zhang away with enough force to leave a deep pit and a large whirlpool.
• Li Xiao began practicing with Po Jun every day, striking the lake’s center with each arrow and recovering his True Qi between quivers as his Swift Wind Thunderclap Arrow experience increased.
• The chapter described the steep, Spiritual Qi-rich area where Flying Cloud Peak’s strongest senior Inner Sect disciples lived and identified Shen Qingyun’s courtyard.

Shen Qingyun learned that Li Xiao had defeated Cao Rui and began to regard him as a potential rival before the Candidate Saint Son Battle. Li Xiao sought to accelerate his Three Absolutes Returning Origin Qi cultivation and discovered that Origin-Returning Pills helped his progress.

• Cao Rui told Shen Qingyun that Li Xiao had beaten him, and Shen Qingyun acknowledged Li Xiao's talent while noting the year and a half remaining before the Candidate Saint Son Battle.
• Shen Qingyun wondered whether Feng Qing had brought Li Xiao back to oppose him, then decided Li Xiao could not yet threaten him.
• Li Xiao reviewed his slow cultivation progress and realized that deeper True Qi would let him practice the Swift Wind Thunderclap Arrow more each day.
• Li Xiao sent Qingluo and Bitao to collect his stipend, then trained with Po Jun at the Back Mountain until the sun slanted westward.
• Li Xiao took an Origin-Returning Pill and cultivated the Three Absolutes Returning Origin Qi, seeing his progress improve on the Panel.

Li Xiao began learning the Fifth-Turn Alchemy Technique from Elder Gu so he could refine Origin-Returning Pills for his cultivation. After many failed attempts, he used Extreme Path True Qi to form his first ruined Pills and prepared to keep practicing.

• Li Xiao went to the Alchemy Hall and asked Elder Gu to teach him the Fifth-Turn Alchemy Technique after reaching Perfection in the Fourth-Turn technique.
• Elder Gu explained that Fifth-Turn pill refinement required sensing changes in the furnace and using costly Fifth-Turn ingredients, then lent Li Xiao his stock and demonstrated how to refine an Origin-Returning Pill.
• Li Xiao tried refining the Pill himself, but his first six furnaces failed through overcooking, mistimed ingredients, or uncontrolled heat.
• Li Xiao realized he needed to use True Qi to suppress the Demonic Beast meat's violent power, and his seventh furnace produced six misshapen ruined Pills.
• Elder Gu praised Li Xiao for getting the Pills to take shape and offered him more ingredients to continue practicing.

Flying Cloud Peak's Peak Master and the Three Origins Sect arrived at Abyss City to reinforce its defense against the Demon Race. After learning that Sea Shark Palace led the invasion and that its Seventh Turn Palace Master may have recovered from old injuries, he prepared to inspect the front line at first light.

• Flying Cloud Peak's Peak Master led the Three Origins Sect into Abyss City, where Garrison Commander Zhou welcomed them and explained that the city faced a force of demonic beasts and powerful demons.
• Flying Cloud Peak's Peak Master claimed responsibility for the three Sixth Turn Great Demons while the other defenders would handle the remaining enemies.
• Garrison Commander Zhou told Flying Cloud Peak's Peak Master that Sea Shark Palace was leading the invasion and that its Seventh Turn Palace Master had once been wounded in battle with the Yu Kingdom's Seventh Turn expert.
• Flying Cloud Peak's Peak Master said he could not interfere in a Seventh Turn battle and would focus on the Sixth Turn enemies.
• As demonic roars drew closer, Flying Cloud Peak's Peak Master ordered the group to rest and said they would inspect the front line at first light.

Abyss City received reinforcements as its commanders prepared to defend against Sea Shark Palace’s overwhelming army. The Peak Master of Flying Cloud Peak proposed waiting for an opportunity to strike, while the three Great Demons discussed the city’s defenses and their coming attack.

• Reinforcements arrived in Abyss City, and Garrison Commander Zhou coordinated their deployment across the border cities.
• General Han arrived with Great Zhou troops and learned that three Sixth Turn experts were stationed in Abyss City, including the Peak Master of Flying Cloud Peak and Elder Chen.
• Elder Chen and General Han agreed that the defenders should hold Abyss City, while the Peak Master of Flying Cloud Peak said they should strike when the right opportunity arose.
• The Peak Master of Flying Cloud Peak surveyed Sea Shark Palace’s camp, where tens of thousands of Demonic Beasts had gathered under three Sixth Turn Great Demons.
• Silver Shark asked when the demons would attack, and Flood Python silently looked up at him.

Flood Python explained that Sea Shark Palace planned to seize Abyss City and plunder Yu Kingdom’s resources before the Human Race united. At a duel arranged to break the stalemate, the Human Race lost both Fourth Turn matches, and the chapter ended with Elder Chen asking who would fight in the first Fifth Turn match.

• Flood Python told Silver Shark and Giant Crocodile that Sea Shark Palace sought territory and resources, not the conquest of Yu Kingdom, and planned to take Abyss City before withdrawing.
• A Fifth Turn Demon General challenged the Human Race to duels, and Garrison Commander Zhou brought the proposal to the Garrison Mansion.
• Elder Chen, General Han, the Peak Master of Flying Cloud Peak, and the faction representatives agreed to the duels, scheduled for three days later.
• The Human Race lost its first two Fourth Turn matches when a wolf demon killed a Rogue Cultivator and a snake demon poisoned a core disciple.
• Elder Chen asked the Human Race forces to choose a fighter for the first Fifth Turn, Bone-Generating match, but no one volunteered.

The Demon Suppression Division chose fighters for the upcoming Fifth Turn battles, and Su Chen volunteered to face Sea Shark Palace’s Marrow Birth Realm fighter despite the danger. He relied on the mysterious Three-Legged Bird that had transformed his talent, then left the hall determined to fight.

• The human commanders finalized two Fifth Turn, First Realm fighters, while Silver Shark and Flood Python chose Sea Shark Palace’s Seventh Elder for the match.
• Commander Zhao announced he would fight in the Round Marrow Realm battle, and Su Chen volunteered for the Marrow Birth Realm match.
• Commander Zhao warned Su Chen that Sea Shark Palace’s veteran Deep Sea Crocodile Turtle could withstand his saber, but Su Chen insisted on participating.
• Commander Zhao selected Liu and Zhou for the Marrow-Piercing Realm battle based on their combat experience.
• Su Chen recalled that a beam of red light had struck his chest a year earlier, after which the Three-Legged Bird appeared and his cultivation advanced rapidly.

Su Chen reflected on the dangerous Half-Demon Transformation that had cost the lives of three teammates, then joined the Fifth Turn matches between the Human Race and Demon Race. After the Human Race won one match and drew another, Su Chen faced Sea Shark Palace's Seventh Elder, a powerful Deep Sea Crocodile Turtle.

• Su Chen recalled that the Red Bird on his chest gave him power but that Half-Demon Transformation had made him kill three teammates and a Deep Sea Crocodile Turtle.
• The disciple surnamed Shen fought a Tiger Shark Demon for 150 moves, and their Fifth Turn Bone-Generating match ended in a draw.
• Commander Wu defeated and beheaded a Swordfish Demon, giving the Human Race its first win.
• Flood Python summoned Sea Shark Palace's Seventh Elder, a formidable Deep Sea Crocodile Turtle, to challenge the Human Race.
• Elder Chen sent Su Chen to fight Seventh Elder, and Su Chen drew his black sword as the Red Bird's power stirred within him.

Su Chen fought Deep Sea Crocodile Turtles' Seventh Elder, enduring his opponent's Essence Blood-fueled assault and breaking through to the fortieth layer of Layered Wave Thousand Blade. Seventh Elder was wounded but launched one final all-out attack at Su Chen.

• Su Chen used his swift blade and movement techniques to exploit Seventh Elder's weak points and drive him back.
• Seventh Elder burned Essence Blood, increased his strength and speed, and knocked Su Chen aside with a powerful palm strike.
• Su Chen fought back with thirty layers of blade waves, but Seventh Elder gradually suppressed him as his True Qi ran low.
• With the Red Bird on his chest glowing, Su Chen broke through to the fortieth layer of Layered Wave Thousand Blade and cleaved Seventh Elder away, shattering the scales on his palms.
• Seventh Elder burned the rest of his Essence Blood and unleashed an all-out palm strike toward Su Chen.

Su Chen defeated and killed Seventh Elder in the Duel Arena, raising Human Race morale before returning to the Demon Suppression Division with the corpse. Meanwhile, Li Xiao advanced his alchemy while sinking into debt, and two mysterious black-robed figures arrived at the Demon Race camp.

• Su Chen overwhelmed Seventh Elder with Layered Wave Thousand Blade and beheaded him, then carried his corpse back to the Human Race camp as the Three-Legged Bird absorbed a red aura from the body.
• The Human Race cheered Su Chen’s victory while General Han, Elder Chen, and the Flying Cloud Peak Master watched; Flood Python led the Demon Race forces away from the arena.
• Su Chen returned to the Demon Suppression Division, where touching the Three-Legged Bird replenished his nearly exhausted True Qi.
• Li Xiao refined four low-grade Origin-Returning Pills and learned from Elder Gu that he had nearly used up the sect’s materials, while his mounting material costs left him deeply indebted.
• Silver Shark and Giant Crocodile discussed how the Sea Shark Palace would learn of Seventh Elder’s death as Flood Python studied a map, then two black-robed figures entered their tent and bowed.

After Seventh Elder died in a duel with Su Chen, Flood Python negotiated an alliance with two Heavenly Devil Palace experts to attack Abyss City and draw out Lin Tianyang. The Sea Shark Palace Master accepted the alliance’s terms but claimed the three islands for Sea Shark Palace, and he agreed to meet Lin Tianyang.

• Silver Shark, Giant Crocodile, and Flood Python discussed Seventh Elder’s death before two Heavenly Devil Palace experts arrived to offer help breaching Abyss City.
• The Black-Robed Men demanded three islands south of Yu Kingdom and asked the Sea Shark Palace Master to fight Lin Tianyang; Flood Python agreed, provided Abyss City fell.
• Flood Python contacted the Sea Shark Palace Master and reported that Su Chen had killed Seventh Elder and that Heavenly Devil Palace had offered an alliance.
• The Sea Shark Palace Master accepted the alliance but claimed the three islands for Sea Shark Palace and said he wanted to meet Lin Tianyang.

Li Xiao prepared to leave the Sect and travel to Willow City, while Abyss City’s Human and Demon Races gathered for the decisive Sixth Turn duel. Elder Chen began fighting the Giant Crocodile but was badly wounded, and General Han stepped in to continue the battle.

• Li Xiao stabilized his cultivation, repaid most of his debts, and chose to travel home and gain experience.
• Li Xiao refined and exchanged pills, told Feng Qing of his plans, and received a warning about unrest on the roads and in the Zhou Kingdom.
• Li Xiao packed his supplies, said goodbye to Qingluo and Bitao, and rode Frost Shadow out of the Sect.
• The Human and Demon Races gathered near Abyss City for the Sixth Turn battle, with Elder Chen facing the Giant Crocodile.
• After three hundred moves, the Giant Crocodile struck Elder Chen down, and General Han stepped forward with his saber.

General Han defeated Silver Shark in the second Sixth Turn match, and Flying Cloud Peak's Peak Master began the final duel against Flood Python. After hundreds of exchanges, Flood Python revealed his true form, and the battle continued with neither side yet victorious.

• General Han fought Silver Shark for four hundred exchanges, then cut him across the waist and won the second Sixth Turn match.
• Flood Python stepped forward to face Flying Cloud Peak's Peak Master in the final Sixth Turn battle, and both drew their top-grade Treasure Weapons.
• Flying Cloud Peak's Peak Master and Flood Python exchanged sword and halberd attacks for five hundred exchanges without gaining the upper hand.
• Flood Python transformed into his hundred-zhang true form, greatly strengthening his power and defense.
• Flying Cloud Peak's Peak Master struck Flood Python repeatedly with the Ice Soul Sword, while Flood Python fought back with his massive body and tail.