Chapter Summaries

• Li Qingyue wakes to a misunderstanding: After drinking too much Monkey Wine, Li Qingyue had wandered into Ye Qiu’s room and fallen asleep. Though Ye Qiu felt an improper spark of attraction, guilt over his brother Li Xingchen stopped him from acting on it. He brought Chen Chi and Wen Ning to stay with her, hoping to prevent any suspicion. When Li Qingyue woke, she initially reacted with a sharp, hostile aura, but Ye Qiu explained what had happened. She accepted his account, thanked him, and left—much to Chen Chi’s and Wen Ning’s surprise.
• Ye Qiu and the women spend the night together: While Li Qingyue slept, Ye Qiu gave Chen Chi and Wen Ning Fire Therapy, deliberately stretching out the treatment. Wen Ning devoted much of the time to studying the Rubbing and the Ancient Patterns, which were opening up new insights for her. Her intense concentration—and unexpected behavior during treatment—left Ye Qiu exasperated.
• The trio head to the Yin-Yang Tower: Chen Chi and Wen Ning continue following Ye Qiu, despite his irritation. Wen Ning says they cannot safely go off alone while Ye Qiu’s elaborate act might be exposed; Chen Chi, meanwhile, complains that she wants to go out and have fun. Ye Qiu climbs through the tower’s levels, absorbing the increasingly dense Essence Qi to stabilize his Cultivation, with both women still in tow.
• A new discovery: On the Ninth Layer, the group reaches a vast, secret-realm-like area where people have gathered beneath a mountain peak. A stele stands there with a blade embedded in it, setting up the next event.
  Character developments and themes: Wen Ning has grown more confident and absorbed in the study of Ancient Patterns, even to the point of casually misleading Li Qingyue. Ye Qiu’s attraction to Li Qingyue is checked by guilt and a desire to avoid impropriety, while his explanations and the women’s reactions create comic misunderstandings. The chapter blends romantic tension and farce with Wen Ning’s growing scholarly ambition and Ye Qiu’s pursuit of cultivation.

Plot points and events

• The Ninth Layer of the tower offers unusually rich Essence Qi, and its fees cannot be refunded, so visitors are eager to make the most of their stay.
• Beneath the mountain peak stands a black-and-white Stone Stele with a blade embedded in it. The Yin-Yang Great Sect supposedly made the blade using energy from the fabled Demon Blade on Divine Illumination Peak. Resonating with the replica may lead someone to the real blade.
• Ye Qiu pauses his cultivation to watch as visitors test the replica. A powerful Divine Being at the peak of his realm cannot get close without buckling under its pressure, then collapses after trying to reach for it.
• A Half-Step God King, seemingly prepared to face the blade, manages to grasp its hilt—but is violently thrown back and badly injured.
• A proud Inner Gate disciple of the Yin-Yang Great Sect declares that the blade belongs only to her younger brother. When challenged to identify herself, she gives her name: Bei Hanyi.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu’s attention shifts from cultivation to the blade and its connection to Divine Illumination Peak.
• The two men who test the blade reveal its overwhelming power: the first is left terrified, while the second’s apparent confidence and preparation do not protect him from severe injury. The first man quietly takes satisfaction in the second’s failure.
• The Yin-Yang disciple displays open arrogance toward the crowd, calling them unworthy and insisting her younger brother alone can claim the blade. Her name, Bei Hanyi, ends the chapter on a note of confrontation and intrigue.

Significant themes

• Power and limits: Even formidable cultivators are helpless before the blade’s pressure.
• Ambition and danger: The possibility of an opportunity at the Demon Blade draws people toward a deadly test.
• Privilege and pride: Bei Hanyi invokes her sect’s status and her brother’s presumed worth to dismiss everyone else.

Key plot points and events

• Bei Hanyi’s identity as a member of the powerful Northern Cold Family silences those who had challenged her. The family holds great influence within the Yin-Yang Great Sect.
• Ye Qiu considers pulling the blade from the Stone Stele, but Chen Chi and Wen Ning restrain him. They fear success would provoke the influential Northern Cold Family, and Ye Qiu still needs something from the sect.
• Bei Hanyi’s younger brother, Bei Hanyu, arrives. He tells the crowd to keep quiet while he attempts to draw the blade.
• Bei Hanyu reaches the stele in a single effortless step, demonstrating remarkable power. He grips the blade, but despite escalating his effort and aura, cannot pull it free.
• Ye Qiu judges that Bei Hanyu has reached his limit. When Bei Hanyu begins using his Bloodline power to force the blade, Ye Qiu realizes the young man is risking his life.

Character developments

• Ye Qiu shows restraint, choosing not to invite conflict despite believing he could draw the blade. He also recognizes that Bei Hanyu and the blade are incompatible.
• Chen Chi and Wen Ning reveal their trust in Ye Qiu’s ability, while trying to protect him from political trouble.
• Bei Hanyi is deferential and indulgent toward her brother, but acts proudly when his strength impresses the crowd.
• Bei Hanyu appears powerful and self-assured, but his determination to draw the blade pushes him toward dangerous overexertion.

Character interactions

• Chen Chi and Wen Ning physically hold Ye Qiu back and warn him against showing off.
• Bei Hanyi treats Bei Hanyu with conspicuous deference, while he speaks to her in a dismissive, commanding manner.
• Bei Hanyi rebukes Ye Qiu for talking during her brother’s attempt; Ye Qiu responds with an amused smile.
• Ye Qiu privately tells Chen Chi and Wen Ning that Bei Hanyu cannot draw the blade, explaining that their fates clash.

Significant themes

• Power and status: The Northern Cold Family’s influence changes how the crowd behaves.
• Restraint versus ambition: Ye Qiu avoids needless conflict, while Bei Hanyu’s determination makes him push beyond his limits.
• Destiny and incompatibility: Ye Qiu believes the blade and Bei Hanyu are fundamentally at odds.
• The danger of pride: Bei Hanyu’s escalating use of power hints that refusing to accept failure may bring serious consequences.

Key plot points and events

• Bei Hanyu attempts to draw the black-and-white blade embedded in a stone stele. The trial could earn him entry into the Yin-Yang Great Sect’s inner sect and a chance to compete for its successor position.
• The blade’s dangerous Qi overwhelms him, trapping him in a cage of energy and causing him to bleed profusely. Bei Hanyi and several elders rush to rescue him, but the Qi repels Bei Hanyi and kills two elders while badly injuring others.
• As Bei Hanyu’s screams fade, Ye Qiu walks directly into the deadly Qi. The energy subsides, and he emerges unharmed, supporting the bloodied Bei Hanyu and holding the blade.
• The stele has split open, confirming that Ye Qiu—not Bei Hanyu—drew the blade.

Character developments

• Bei Hanyu proves unable to withstand the blade’s power and is left critically injured.
• Bei Hanyi shifts from confidence in her brother’s talent to frantic, helpless desperation as she fails to reach him.
• Ye Qiu demonstrates remarkable composure and power, reinforcing the others’ view of him as an extraordinary and unpredictable figure.
• Chen Chi and Wen Ning remain concerned for Ye Qiu, then are stunned and relieved when he returns safely.

Significant themes

• Ambition and peril: The chance for rank and power comes with lethal risks.
• True capability versus inherited status: Bei Hanyu’s prestigious bloodline and hopes cannot overcome the blade’s danger, while Ye Qiu succeeds through unexplained strength.
• Sacrifice and helplessness: Bei Hanyi and the elders risk themselves, but cannot control the threat.
• Mystery and foreshadowing: The blade’s sinister power and the unrest at Divine Illumination Peak suggest greater dangers ahead.

Character interactions

• Ye Qiu warns that Bei Hanyu cannot endure the trial, but Bei Hanyi rebukes him and insists on her brother’s talent.
• Bei Hanyi and the elders try to rescue Bei Hanyu, only to be driven back or injured by the blade’s Qi.
• Ye Qiu enters the danger alone and returns carrying the injured Bei Hanyu, while onlookers react with shock and renewed admiration.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qiu effortlessly suppresses the dangerous black-and-white Blade Qi, saves the badly injured Bei Hanyu, and removes the blade.
• Bei Hanyi checks her brother and is relieved that his injuries threaten neither his life nor his foundation.
• Instead of thanking Ye Qiu, Bei Hanyu blames his sister for his humiliation, slaps her, and then treats Ye Qiu as a rival who has diminished his reputation.
• Bei Hanyi sides with her brother, while the North Cold Family elders show no gratitude. Ye Qiu decides to leave with Chen Chi and Wen Ning.
• Bei Hanyu demands that Ye Qiu leave the blade behind, claiming it belongs to him. Bei Hanyi backs him up and accuses Ye Qiu of taking advantage.
• Chen Chi quietly restrains Ye Qiu, reminding him that offending the powerful North Cold Family could jeopardize their effort to save Tang Ni. Ye Qiu suppresses his anger and leaves the blade.
• When Bei Hanyu grabs it, the Blade Qi attacks him again. He cannot release the hilt and begins screaming as the chapter ends.

Character developments

• Ye Qiu remains capable and controlled, but his gratitude for helping the family turns to disgust and anger at their entitlement. He ultimately restrains himself for the sake of his larger mission.
• Bei Hanyu reveals himself as arrogant, entitled, and unable to tolerate being outshone. Rather than acknowledge his rescue, he directs his shame and anger at others.
• Bei Hanyi shows devotion to her brother but also accepts his mistreatment of her and supports his unjust claims.
• Chen Chi acts as Ye Qiu’s voice of caution, keeping the group focused on their urgent objective.

Character interactions

• Ye Qiu treats Bei Hanyu’s injuries and speaks politely, but Bei Hanyu responds with hostility.
• Bei Hanyi accepts her brother’s slap and blame, then joins him in demanding the blade from Ye Qiu.
• The North Cold elders’ indifference reinforces Ye Qiu’s sense that the family shares the same values.
• Chen Chi’s gentle intervention prevents Ye Qiu from retaliating, though the blade’s renewed attack soon exposes the danger of Bei Hanyu’s arrogance.

Significant themes

• Entitlement and ingratitude: Ye Qiu’s life-saving intervention is met with resentment and demands.
• Pride and humiliation: Bei Hanyu’s wounded status matters more to him than the fact that he was rescued.
• Family loyalty versus self-respect: Bei Hanyi protects her brother even when he abuses her and acts unjustly.
• Restraint in pursuit of a greater goal: Ye Qiu chooses not to fight because the group’s mission is more important than immediate revenge.

Key plot points and events

• The blade drains Bei Hanyu’s cultivation and life force while he clings to it. Bei Hanyi tries to intervene, but the blade’s force knocks her away.
• Despite Bei Hanyi ordering Ye Qiu to stop, he does not act in time to save Bei Hanyu. The blade drains him completely; his dried-out body crumbles when Bei Hanyi tries to lift it.
• Grief-stricken, Bei Hanyi blames Ye Qiu for her brother’s death, accusing him of leaving the blade behind and failing to intervene.
• The onlookers avoid defending Ye Qiu, fearing retaliation from the powerful Northern Cold Family. The wounded elders block Ye Qiu’s exit and prepare to attack, knowing he is not truly at fault but needing someone to blame.
• Ye Qiu, Chen Chi, Wen Ning, Brother Snake, and Chen Jianyi finally lose patience with the family’s threats and injustice. Ye Qiu summons the Broken Saber; the other blade responds by flying toward him.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu moves from restraint to open anger, recognizing that the family will not listen to reason. He prepares to fight rather than accept false blame.
• Bei Hanyi shifts from desperate concern for her brother to overwhelming grief and murderous rage, directing her fury at Ye Qiu.
• The five elders act out of self-preservation: though aware Ye Qiu is largely uninvolved, they try to make him pay so they can return with a scapegoat.
• Chen Chi, Wen Ning, Brother Snake, and Chen Jianyi stand firmly with Ye Qiu. Their anger reflects their shared sense that his group has been repeatedly mistreated despite showing restraint.
• The crowd recognizes the injustice but stays silent, intimidated by the Northern Cold Family’s power and reputation.

Significant themes

• Blame and moral distortion: The Northern Cold Family twists events to make Ye Qiu responsible for a death caused by Bei Hanyu’s own contact with the blade.
• Power over justice: Bystanders suppress the truth because speaking up could endanger their families.
• Restraint reaching its limit: Ye Qiu’s group repeatedly tolerates insults and threats, but the final accusation makes continued restraint impossible.
• The danger of unchecked ambition and recklessness: Bei Hanyu’s grip on the blade leads to his destruction, while his family’s refusal to accept responsibility compounds the tragedy.

Key plot points and events

• The Black-and-White Broad Saber answers the Broken Saber’s presence, splits apart, and pours its powerful Blade Qi into it. The resulting burst destroys the hand of a wounded elder attacking Ye Qiu.
• Ye Qiu pursues and kills that elder with a slash, then uses a second strike to shatter the remaining arm of another attacker. A third elder is crushed when Wen Ning uses an ancient technique to enlarge Chen Chi into a nine-meter giant.
• The two surviving elders flee, taking Bei Hanyi and the remains of Bei Hanyu with them. Chen Chi shrinks back to normal, and she, Wen Ning, and Ye Qiu escape the Yin-Yang Tower.
• As they flee, the absorbed Blade Qi finishes merging with the Broken Saber. It is now somewhat improved, but no longer possesses the overwhelming power it briefly displayed during the fight.
• Ye Qiu asks about Wen Ning’s “Big Big Big” technique. She explains that she misinterpreted ancient symbols from the Flying Shuttle, which were likely meant to express speed. The technique works spectacularly, but its use nearly exhausts her.
• Before the group can get far, the North Cold Family arrives in force, surrounding the area with overwhelming auras. Chen Chi realizes they have been caught by the family’s rapid response. Ye Qiu asks Wen Ning to enlarge him too, but she is too depleted.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu makes effective use of the Broken Saber’s temporary power, decisively killing one elder and crippling another. He is impressed by Wen Ning’s technique, though his curiosity leads to an awkward, misunderstood question.
• Wen Ning reveals an unexpected ability: she can apply ancient symbols as a growth-enhancing spell. However, the feat comes at a severe physical cost, leaving her pale and nearly drained.
• Chen Chi displays tremendous strength while enlarged, crushing an elder, then quickly takes charge of the escape. She and Wen Ning both interpret Ye Qiu’s question as indecent and rebuke him.
• The surviving North Cold elders retreat in fear, while the arriving North Cold Family poses a much larger threat than the group can currently face.

Significant themes

• Power with limits: The saber’s dramatic boost is temporary, and Wen Ning’s formidable technique nearly exhausts her.
• Unintended discovery: Wen Ning’s misreading of ancient symbols produces a powerful ability despite being different from their likely intended meaning.
• Escalating danger: The group wins a brutal encounter but must immediately flee a larger force, leaving the conflict unresolved.
• Comic relief amid peril: Ye Qiu’s sincere question becomes embarrassing, briefly cutting through the tension before the North Cold Family closes in.

Key plot points and events

• An immense burst of killing intent rocks Upper City, prompting powerful clans to mobilize. Armed men seal off both Upper and Lower City, allowing no one to enter or leave.
• The North Cold Family’s elder Bei Hanling arrives with Bei Hanyi and others, confronting Ye Qiu under overwhelming pressure. Bei Hanyi identifies Ye Qiu as the man responsible for the family’s grievance.
• Ye Qiu stays outwardly calm, tells Bei Hanling to learn what happened before demanding an explanation, and warns the family not to provoke him.
• Liu Yun, hoping to protect Ye Qiu and build an alliance, intervenes on his behalf. Bei Hanling strikes him down and reveals that his grandson—the North Cold Family’s Number One Prodigy—has been killed without a trace.
• Shocked by the revelation, Liu Yun realizes the danger he has walked into. Bei Hanling grows more confident that Ye Qiu lacks powerful backing and prepares to overwhelm him.
• Just as the situation turns dire, a Black-Robed Elder breaks through Bei Hanling’s aura and steps forward, offering to grant Bei Hanling’s request. His arrival interrupts the confrontation.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu remains composed despite the threat, projecting confidence that makes Bei Hanling suspect he has powerful support.
• Liu Yun overcomes his fear to defend Ye Qiu, but learns too late that the dispute involves a major killing. His bravery shifts into panic after Bei Hanling reveals the victim’s identity.
• Bei Hanling begins wary of Ye Qiu’s composure, then dismisses his apparent status after Liu Yun claims ties to the modest Nanyang Liu Family. His hostility escalates into a threat of force.
• The Black-Robed Elder makes a dramatic entrance, suggesting he is powerful enough to challenge Bei Hanling and may be connected to Ye Qiu.

Significant themes

• Composure under pressure: Ye Qiu’s calm is treated as a sign of hidden strength, whether or not his confidence is justified.
• Risk and ambition: Liu Yun acts on the hope that danger may bring opportunity, then discovers the stakes are far greater than he assumed.
• Power and status: Bei Hanling judges people by their affiliations and rank, while the sealed city and gathered forces show how quickly a powerful family can command a whole region.

Plot points and events

• Hu Qiming arrives and shields Ye Qiu from Bei Hanling, the North Cold Family elder, who wants revenge for Ye Qiu killing his grandson.
• Hu insists Bei Hanling give him face and says he will personally answer to the Yin-Yang Great Sect’s Grand Guardian. Though Bei Hanling warns that the Grand Guardian may not accept this, Hu remains confident.
• Hu carries Ye Qiu, Chen Chi, and Wen Ning to the Yin-Yang Great Sect’s headquarters. Bei Hanling and his allies follow, while the watching powers and families rush after them to see how the conflict unfolds.
• During the journey, Ye Qiu privately panics about how far his bluff has gone. He asks Brother Snake and Chen Jianyi for help, but both decline, citing their weakness.
• Hu assumes Ye Qiu’s calm means he is confident and arranges for the Western Ridge Crown Prince to meet them, believing this will help settle the dispute. Ye Qiu is horrified that the situation is becoming even more complicated.

Character developments and interactions

• Hu Qiming demonstrates strong loyalty and confidence, taking responsibility for protecting Ye Qiu despite the risk of opposing the Yin-Yang Great Sect’s leadership. He misreads Ye Qiu’s composure as genuine self-assurance and tries to spare him the embarrassment of asking for help.
• Ye Qiu keeps up a calm outward appearance while privately fearing exposure and the consequences of his overextended act. His attempts to recruit help from his companions fail, leaving him to improvise.
• Bei Hanling is determined to defend his family’s standing, but Hu’s intervention makes him cautious. He follows the group to the sect rather than immediately fighting.
• Chen Chi and Wen Ning are terrified by the prospect of entering the powerful sect and look to Ye Qiu for reassurance. His grim “we die together” response does little to comfort them.
• Brother Snake and Chen Jianyi refuse to intervene, underscoring Ye Qiu’s isolation as the danger grows.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Ye Qiu’s apparent composure convinces Hu he is powerful and secure, while Ye Qiu is inwardly panicked.
• Pride and face: Both Bei Hanling and Hu navigate the conflict through public status and the need to avoid losing face.
• Escalation through misunderstanding: Hu’s well-intentioned support—including summoning the Crown Prince—raises the stakes and deepens Ye Qiu’s predicament.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Hu is willing to risk his standing to protect Ye Qiu, while Ye Qiu’s supposed allies leave him to face the crisis alone.

Key plot points and events

• The Yin-Yang Great Sect is thrown into turmoil after news arrives of unrest in the Main City. Its Crown Prince, Feng Changsheng, leaves the sect to meet the incoming party.
• Feng Changsheng is introduced as the Western Ridge’s foremost young prodigy and the secure heir of the Yin-Yang Great Sect, born to its powerful sect master and First Matriarch.
• Old Hu arrives with Ye Qiu, Wen Ning, and Chen Chi. The two women cling nervously to Ye Qiu, fearing the consequences of entering the sect’s territory—especially the possibility of being robbed or preyed upon.
• The North Cold Family, led by Beihan Zhong, arrives alongside other great families. Beihan Zhong learns that Ye Qiu killed Bei Hanyu, the family’s prized prodigy and intended future head.
• Beihan Zhong fixes Ye Qiu with a hostile stare but does not attack. Ye Qiu realizes the elder is holding back, apparently because Feng Changsheng is present.
• Ye Qiu walks up to Feng Changsheng and says, “No need to say anything. I owe you one.” The crowd is startled to discover that the two know each other and seem to be on familiar, equal terms.

Character developments

• Ye Qiu stays composed under Beihan Zhong’s immense pressure and quickly reads the political balance of the gathering. Recognizing Feng Changsheng’s influence, he approaches him with confidence.
• Feng Changsheng is established as a powerful, influential figure whose presence alone constrains the North Cold Family’s response. His relationship with Ye Qiu remains unexplained.
• Beihan Zhong is revealed as deeply invested in Bei Hanyu’s potential and legacy; the young man’s death makes him a dangerous enemy, though he initially restrains himself.
• Wen Ning and Chen Chi show their fear and protectiveness by holding on to Ye Qiu, while also worrying about what might happen to them.

Significant themes

• Power and political restraint: Beihan Zhong’s strength does not guarantee freedom to act; Feng Changsheng’s status changes what he can risk.
• Reputation and inherited position: Feng Changsheng’s authority comes from both his own achievements and the powerful family structure behind him.
• Composure under pressure: Ye Qiu’s calmness helps him interpret the situation and exploit its shifting alliances.

Character interactions

• Ye Qiu and Beihan Zhong face off in a tense, silent contest of hostility and restraint.
• Ye Qiu and Feng Changsheng exchange a brief but revealing line that suggests a prior debt and a close relationship.
• Wen Ning and Chen Chi stay close to Ye Qiu, sharing their fears as the confrontation escalates.
• North Cold Territory reports the events surrounding Bei Hanyu’s death to Beihan Zhong, prompting the elder’s focused hostility toward Ye Qiu.

Key plot points and events

• In front of the assembled crowd, Ye Qiu secretly tells Crown Prince Feng Changsheng that he knows about the Demon Blade and can help remove it from Divine Illumination Peak.
• When that claim alone does not convince Feng Changsheng, Ye Qiu reveals the Crown Prince’s hidden affliction: the Blade Qi inside his body has left him impotent. He promises he can cure it “without fail.”
• Feng Changsheng is stunned but believes Ye Qiu may be telling the truth. He invites Ye Qiu, Chen Chi, and Wen Ning into the Yin-Yang Great Sect, stepping aside publicly to make way for them.
• The Northern Cold Family is humiliated but cannot openly challenge the Crown Prince. Beihan Zhong suppresses his anger, orders Ye Qiu investigated, and withdraws with his people.
• Liu Yun is delighted that his gamble has paid off, believing he has gained a powerful patron. Li Qingyue, however, worries that Ye Qiu has no real reason to care about her or her father.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu demonstrates confidence and sharp judgment, using knowledge of Feng Changsheng’s secret as leverage. He also appears to know the Crown Prince’s interest in the Demon Blade.
• Feng Changsheng shifts from amused skepticism to shock and hope. His private condition—caused by Blade Qi from his earlier attempt to move the Demon Blade—has deeply wounded his pride, despite strengthening his cultivation.
• Beihan Zhong restrains his fury because the Crown Prince has strong support within the sect and the political situation is unfavorable. His order to investigate Ye Qiu signals that the conflict is postponed, not settled.
• Liu Yun interprets the Crown Prince’s invitation as proof that his own fortunes have changed for the better.
• Li Qingyue understands Liu Yun’s earlier scheme and the circumstances surrounding her night in Ye Qiu’s room. Although Ye Qiu did not touch her, she interprets this as evidence that he found her undesirable, leaving her anxious and resigned.
• The crowd’s shocked reaction underscores the apparent closeness between Ye Qiu and Feng Changsheng, while Ye Qiu and his companions deliberately ignore the Northern Cold Family as they enter the sect.

Significant themes

• Power and political restraint: Beihan Zhong cannot act freely against the Crown Prince, even after being publicly slighted.
• Secrets as leverage: Ye Qiu turns knowledge of Feng Changsheng’s personal shame into influence and access.
• Pride and vulnerability: The Crown Prince’s public prestige hides a painful affliction he cannot admit openly.
• Misreading and insecurity: Liu Yun celebrates his success, while Li Qingyue draws a painful conclusion from Ye Qiu’s restraint.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qiu and his companions enter the Yin-Yang Great Sect, whose towering buildings and mountain peak impress even the well-traveled Chen Chi and Wen Ning.
• Ye Qiu recognizes the sect’s formation as a “Stealing Heaven Formation,” which gathers heavenly energy and fortune. He warns Feng Changsheng that tampering with Heaven’s secrets may bring trouble, making the Crown Prince wonder whether Ye Qiu can help him. Ye Qiu privately admits he is bluffing, having learned about the formation from Brother Snake.
• Feng Changsheng leads the group to a courtyard positioned over a formation focal point. Its concentrated Essence Qi and Fortune rapidly restore and strengthen the visitors; Chen Chi and Wen Ning’s cultivation barriers begin to loosen.
• In the reception hall, the Crown Prince offers extravagant luxuries: Dragon-Tiger Fragrance, chairs made from Ancient Mulberry Wood and Heavenly Saliva Jade, and genuine Enlightenment Tea.
• The incense and furnishings further enhance everyone’s cultivation. After drinking the tea, Chen Chi and Wen Ning both break through, while Ye Qiu’s power advances close to the next Divine Flame layer.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu appears perceptive and authoritative to Feng Changsheng, despite privately knowing that his comments about the formation are mostly a bluff. He stays composed as the treasures affect him, suspecting that Feng’s generosity has an ulterior motive.
• Feng Changsheng shifts from guarded indifference to respect and curiosity after Ye Qiu identifies the formation. He repeatedly treats the group lavishly, seemingly intent on impressing Ye Qiu.
• Chen Chi and Wen Ning are astonished by the sect’s wealth and luxury. Their bodies and cultivation respond strongly to the formation, incense, furnishings, and tea, culminating in simultaneous breakthroughs.
• Feng’s interactions with Ye Qiu are marked by testing and mutual calculation: Feng probes Ye Qiu’s supposed knowledge, while Ye Qiu lets him believe he can offer help.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Ye Qiu’s confident warnings conceal his uncertainty, while Feng’s hospitality may conceal a purpose.
• Power, fortune, and cultivation: The sect’s formation and rare resources show how environment and material advantages can accelerate growth.
• Wealth and privilege: Feng’s upbringing has given him access to treasures that dramatically aid cultivation, prompting the visitors to marvel at his advantages.

Key plot points and events

• The Crown Prince of the Western Ridge, Feng Changsheng, welcomes Ye Qiu with extravagant hospitality, deliberately testing his confidence. Ye Qiu stays composed and openly gives his name, prompting Feng to recognize him from reports about the Martial Tower and the wider Upper Realm.
• Ye Qiu asks the Yin-Yang Great Sect for its supreme treasure, the Yin-Yang Grass, offering to remove the Demon Blade embedded in Feng Changsheng and resolve his bodily trouble in return. Feng admits the exchange would be difficult to approve, even for his father.
• To avoid a stalemate, Ye Qiu insists they go immediately to Divine Illumination Peak, where the blade is located. Feng warns that it is unstable and has recently killed two people.
• Ye Qiu claims the task will be easy, but privately admits to Wen Ning and Chen Chi that he is bluffing to secure their chance to act. When Wen Ning asks what happens if he fails, he jokes that she should give him a grand funeral.
• Feng leads Ye Qiu and the two women toward the peak. As they approach, the landscape turns increasingly lifeless, ending in dark, barren ground and an oppressive atmosphere.

Character developments

• Ye Qiu shows calculated confidence and urgency, concealing uncertainty behind a bold front. He wants to act quickly because enemies—including the North Cold Family and potentially the Dragon Clan—may be closing in.
• Feng Changsheng shifts from testing Ye Qiu to cautiously evaluating him. He is genuinely conflicted about surrendering the sect’s supreme treasure and clearly fears the Demon Blade’s danger.
• Chen Chi and Wen Ning recognize that Ye Qiu’s confidence may be an act and question his plan, while continuing to follow him.

Significant themes

• Bluffing and perception: Ye Qiu’s boldness is a deliberate tactic, and Feng struggles to tell whether it reflects real ability or reckless deception.
• Power and value: The Yin-Yang Grass’s importance to the sect makes clear that Ye Qiu’s proposed bargain concerns more than an ordinary resource.
• Urgency and risk: Ye Qiu chooses immediate action despite the danger, driven by the threat of pursuit and the cost of delay.

Character interactions

• Feng uses lavish hospitality to test Ye Qiu; Ye Qiu counters with calmness and directness.
• Ye Qiu and Feng negotiate the Yin-Yang Grass for the removal of the Demon Blade, but Feng’s hesitation prevents agreement.
• Ye Qiu privately admits his bluff to Chen Chi and Wen Ning, using humor to cover the danger, while Feng continues trying to assess his true intentions.

Key plot points and events

• Approaching Divine Illumination Peak, the group encounters a lifeless forbidden zone where Death Qi suppresses cultivation and corrodes those who enter.
• Feng Changsheng protects himself with a rare Seven-Colored Ultimate Dao Pill, but Ye Qiu, Chen Chi, and Wen Ning reveal that they have superior Eight-Color pills. The pills boost their cultivation and shield them with powerful Rosy Glow.
• The group crosses the corrupted terrain and reaches the mountain’s base, where the blade at the summit sends down increasingly fierce Blade Qi.
• Ye Qiu steps onto the mountain and is struck by overwhelming pressure. The blade’s Blade Qi intensifies, injuring him and soaking his robe in blood.
• Brother Snake concludes that the blade is actively rejecting Ye Qiu and may never have truly resonated with him in the Yin-Yang Tower. He tells Ye Qiu that he must defeat the blade into submission.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu displays formidable resources and confidence, but discovers that his earlier success with the blade may have been misleading. He now faces a hostile trial that cannot be overcome by simple affinity.
• Feng Changsheng is proud and initially reluctant to share his pills. After seeing the others’ superior supplies, he becomes envious and nearly asks Ye Qiu for one, but pride keeps him silent.
• Chen Chi and Wen Ning join Ye Qiu in playfully exposing Feng Changsheng’s stinginess, then use their pills to withstand the forbidden zone.
• Brother Snake provides a stark explanation of the blade’s hostility and pushes Ye Qiu toward confrontation rather than retreat.

Significant themes

• Pride and generosity: Feng Changsheng’s concern for status prevents him from asking for help, even when he needs it.
• False confidence and reassessment: Ye Qiu’s apparent success in the Yin-Yang Tower may have relied on a counterfeit or weak trace of the real blade’s power.
• Power through confrontation: The blade cannot be won over through resonance; Ye Qiu may have to overpower its rejection.
• Preparation and hidden advantage: The group’s superior pills turn a deadly environment into a manageable, though still arduous, obstacle.

Key events

• Ye Qiu climbs the Mountain Peak despite a crushing Suppression Force that makes him tremble, bleed, and suffer grinding injuries. Feng Changsheng assumes he will fail.
• Ye Qiu repeatedly consumes large quantities of Eight-Color Extreme Dao Pills to heal and endure the pressure, eventually reaching the summit. Chen Chi reveals he has given away several thousand Pills, shocking Feng Changsheng.
• The pressure is also strengthening Ye Qiu: it refines his recent Divine Flame Third Layer cultivation and helps him absorb the Pills’ essence, setting him up for a major breakthrough once the suppression lifts.
• At the summit, Ye Qiu spots the saber hilt and feels its increasingly fierce Blade Qi. Despite Feng Changsheng’s warning that it could destroy him—and his own past experience of being badly injured there—Ye Qiu advances.
• The moment Ye Qiu enters the Blade Qi’s range, his bleeding intensifies dramatically. Though engulfed in Blood Qi and crying out in pain, he charges toward its center rather than retreating.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu shows extraordinary endurance, resourcefulness, and determination. He treats danger as a cultivation opportunity and ignores warnings in pursuit of the saber.
• Feng Changsheng shifts from dismissing Ye Qiu as incapable to being astonished by his Pills and achievement. Concern for Ye Qiu grows alongside his alarm, informed by his own lingering injury from the Blade Qi.
• Chen Chi and Wen Ning watch in shock and fear. Chen Chi proudly defends Ye Qiu by revealing the scale of his generosity with the Pills.
• Feng Changsheng urges Ye Qiu to stop, but Ye Qiu disregards him; Chen Chi and Wen Ning can only watch anxiously as he enters the deadly Blade Qi.

Significant themes

• Perseverance and ingenuity: Ye Qiu overcomes an otherwise overwhelming obstacle by combining endurance with a vast supply of Pills.
• Risk as opportunity: He deliberately uses pain and danger to strengthen his body and cultivation.
• Underestimation and reversal: Feng Changsheng’s confidence in his own judgment is overturned by Ye Qiu’s unexpected success.
• Determination bordering on recklessness: Ye Qiu’s pursuit of the saber drives him onward even when the danger appears lethal.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qiu enters the mountain’s murderous Blade Qi to reach the exposed Black Hilt. From below, the onlookers hear his agonized screams.
• The Blade Qi tears apart his body and bones. Ye Qiu keeps consuming Pills, the Deep Sea Blood Spirit Pearl, and Kun Source, relying on their essences to repair him—but the healing barely keeps pace with the damage.
• Feng Changsheng hesitates when Chen Chi urges him to go help Ye Qiu, aware that the Blade Qi may be too dangerous even for him.
• Ye Qiu asks Brother Snake for the snake’s second shed skin as protection, only to learn that Brother Snake ate it. Brother Snake suggests asking Chen Jianyi for help, but Chen refuses, claiming he is asleep.
• After enduring the assault for forty-five minutes, Ye Qiu realizes he cannot survive by standing still. He takes a painful step toward the hilt and manages to grab it.
• His attempt to pull the Black Hilt free fails and provokes an even stronger blast of Blade Qi. With his body collapsing, Ye Qiu sends out his Grand Primordial Soul instead.
• The soul encounters a translucent Saber Spirit. It narrowly avoids being split apart, then traps the spirit and drags it into the Consciousness Space.
• Brother Snake uses the Dragon Soul to take Ye Qiu, himself, and the Saber Spirit into the Tower Spire Space. He calls on Chen Jianyi to suppress the spirit with his Undying Sword Spirit, despite Chen’s serious weakness.

Character developments

• Ye Qiu shows extreme endurance and resourcefulness, shifting from physical strength to his Primordial Soul when his body can no longer cope. His decision to advance rather than await death reveals his resolve.
• Brother Snake is blunt and irreverent, but acts quickly once Ye Qiu captures the Saber Spirit.
• Chen Jianyi remains reluctant to help, citing his weakened state and the danger of using his Undying Sword Spirit.
• Feng Changsheng is cautious and self-interested, weighing the risks of rescuing Ye Qiu against the potential reward.

Significant themes

• Persistence in the face of overwhelming danger: Ye Qiu survives by continuing to act when retreat and endurance alone are no longer options.
• Survival through ingenuity: When pills and physical strength fail, he adapts by using his soul to confront the threat.
• The cost of power: The Black Hilt’s force is so devastating that even powerful characters fear it, and confronting it risks body and soul alike.

Character interactions

• Chen Chi tries to persuade Feng Changsheng to rescue Ye Qiu, but Feng does not commit.
• Ye Qiu turns to Brother Snake for help and is frustrated by the loss of the shed skin; Brother Snake then points him toward Chen Jianyi.
• Ye Qiu captures the Saber Spirit and brings it into the Tower Spire Space, where Brother Snake immediately orders Chen Jianyi to contain it. Chen protests, unwilling to risk his already fragile soul.

Key plot points and events

• The Saber Spirit erupts into a violent attack, threatening to tear apart Tower Spire Space. Ye Qiu and Brother Snake retreat, while Chen Jianyi hides beneath Heavy Prison Peak.
• Heavy Prison Peak unexpectedly releases black mist that forms a mountain phantom. It pins down the Saber Spirit and weakens it through their struggle, but then the phantom explodes and disappears.
• Ye Qiu, Brother Snake, and Chen Jianyi realize the Saber Spirit remains dangerous, so they take turns striking it to prevent it from recovering.
• Once the Saber Spirit is weakened enough, Ye Qiu summons the Broken Saber. It joins the assault and begins consuming the Saber Spirit’s Blade Qi and Origin, steadily reducing its power.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu shifts from relying on Heavy Prison Peak to taking the initiative, repeatedly attacking the Saber Spirit and coordinating the others’ efforts.
• Brother Snake initially prepares to shoulder the danger himself, then helps suppress the Saber Spirit with his Dragon Soul and keeps the group’s attacks moving.
• Chen Jianyi first tries to stay out of the fight, frightened by the Saber Spirit, but eventually contributes Sword Qi when Brother Snake calls on him.
• The three form a practical fighting team, attacking in rotation so the Saber Spirit cannot regain strength. Heavy Prison Peak helps them indirectly, though Ye Qiu cannot make it produce another phantom.

Significant themes

• Power has limits: Even a weakened Saber Spirit remains a serious threat, and the group must exploit its brief vulnerability.
• Teamwork and persistence: Repeated, coordinated attacks succeed where a single strike would not.
• Pride and hierarchy: The Saber Spirit’s defiance provokes Heavy Prison Peak, whose brief intervention demonstrates the gulf between an ordinary spirit and a Great Emperor Artifact.
• Opportunity and restraint: Ye Qiu waits to use the Broken Saber until the enemy is weak enough for it to drain the Spirit’s Origin without being destroyed.

Chapter Summary: “Yin-Yang Liquid”

• Ye Qiu subdues the Saber Spirit: After a prolonged battle in the Tower Spire Space, Ye Qiu, Brother Snake, Chen Jianyi, and the Broken Saber wear the Saber Spirit down. With guidance from Brother Snake and Chen Jianyi, Ye Qiu uses his Grand Primordial Soul and mysterious talisman scripts to form a master-servant Contract with it. The exhausted Saber Spirit finally submits.
• The saber is destroyed, but a treasure is revealed: Once Ye Qiu pulls the weapon free, its blade crumbles, having lost its Saber Spirit and Essence Qi. Beneath it, Ye Qiu discovers a small pool of black-and-white Yin-Yang Liquid. The liquid has extraordinary restorative power: it eases his severe injuries and rapidly heals his wounds. Ye Qiu recognizes it as a rare form of Living Spirit Liquid, more valuable than Yin-Yang Grass, and collects it all—including some infused soil and rock. He sees it as a possible way to help Tang Ni.
• Ye Qiu emerges alive: As the Blade Qi fades, Chen Chi and Wen Ning see Ye Qiu at the summit, bloodied but alive, with the Saber Spirit hovering nearby. Feng Changsheng, who had refused to risk going up and assumed Ye Qiu was dead, is shocked. He rushes to the summit—but immediately grabs the Saber Spirit before Ye Qiu can react.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Ye Qiu shows persistence and resolve, enduring exhaustion and pain to secure the Saber Spirit. His discovery of the Yin-Yang Liquid gives him renewed strength and hope for Tang Ni.
• Brother Snake and Chen Jianyi support Ye Qiu through the battle and help him complete the Contract; afterward, they rest.
• Feng Changsheng changes from refusing to help Ye Qiu to rushing up once the danger appears to have passed. His sudden seizure of the Saber Spirit creates uncertainty about his intentions.
• Chen Chi and Wen Ning anxiously try to persuade Feng Changsheng to help, but he refuses until Ye Qiu’s survival becomes clear.

Significant Themes

• Endurance and hard-won success: Ye Qiu’s victory comes at the cost of severe physical and spiritual exhaustion.
• Power born from opposing forces: The Yin-Yang Liquid represents the union of complementary energies and provides exceptional vitality.
• Opportunity and uncertainty: A life-changing treasure offers hope, but Feng Changsheng’s final action suggests that Ye Qiu may face a new conflict over the Saber Spirit.

Key plot points and events

• Feng Changsheng rushes to claim the Saber Spirit after Ye Qiu pulls the saber free. Although Ye Qiu has bound it with a Contract, the spirit refuses to obey him and slips into Feng Changsheng’s body.
• Feng Changsheng believes he has gained a historic treasure. He expects the Saber Spirit to quiet his troublesome Blade Qi and eventually make him stronger.
• Ye Qiu asks Feng Changsheng to honor his promise and provide the Yin-Yang Grass. Feng refuses to decide without his father, who is away, and offers only to protect Ye Qiu from the North Cold Family and escort him out of the Western Ridge.
• Angered by Feng Changsheng’s opportunism, Ye Qiu agrees to leave immediately. But as he walks away, the Saber Spirit turns on Feng Changsheng, consuming his essence and unleashing Blade Qi within him. Feng cannot suppress it.
• Ye Qiu turns back and asks, “How did it taste?”—revealing that Feng Changsheng’s apparent triumph has become a punishment.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qiu stays composed when the Saber Spirit ignores him, recognizing Feng Changsheng’s smug confidence and letting events unfold. He shows little patience for Feng’s broken promises and ends the chapter with a pointed reversal of Feng’s earlier triumph.
• Feng Changsheng moves from excitement and arrogance to pain and terror. He takes advantage of Ye Qiu’s success, refuses to provide the promised help, and assumes possession of the Saber Spirit means control over it.
• Chen Chi openly condemns Feng for stealing Ye Qiu’s reward and then trying to send him away; her anger reflects her loyalty to Ye Qiu.
• Wen Ning agrees with Chen Chi’s objections, though less forcefully.
• The Saber Spirit is shown to have its own will: it resents its treatment and proves that its bond with Ye Qiu does not make it a compliant tool.

Significant themes

• Greed and the cost of entitlement: Feng mistakes access to the Saber Spirit for mastery, and his presumption quickly backfires.
• Broken promises and opportunism: Feng accepts the benefits of Ye Qiu’s efforts while evading the obligation he made in return.
• Agency and control: The Saber Spirit’s independent will complicates the idea of ownership.
• Reversal and poetic justice: Feng’s smug question-free confidence is answered by Ye Qiu’s final taunt as the spirit turns against him.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qiu reveals that he controls the Saber Spirit inside Feng Changsheng, intensifying or easing Feng’s agony at will. Feng and the others realize Ye had mastered the saber.
• When Feng tries to retract his earlier betrayal and reclaim the Yin-Yang Grass, Ye produces two bottles of concentrated Yin-Yang Liquid—far more valuable—and gives one to Chen Chi and Wen Ning.
• Feng realizes Ye may have deliberately let him swallow the Saber Spirit. It is consuming Feng’s essence and cultivation, making him a vessel that nurtures the saber.
• Ye denounces Feng for trying to steal his opportunity and breaking his word, then leaves with Chen Chi and Wen Ning. The women drink the liquid, which greatly improves their cultivation and aptitude.
• Feng follows, pleading that his earlier actions were only a test. Ye triggers the Saber Spirit again, leaving Feng terrified and regretful.
• As they return to the Yin-Yang Great Sect, a hostile force emerges. Its leader attacks Ye with a mountain-shaped punch, but Ye destroys the blow, kills the attacker with a counterpunch, and charges into the remaining fighters. He kills a Divine Being Fifth Layer expert with another punch.

Character developments

• Ye Qiu is revealed as a calculating, powerful strategist who has turned Feng’s greed against him. He remains calm in battle and uses his control of the Saber Spirit to keep Feng in check.
• Feng Changsheng shifts from smug opportunist to frightened, humiliated captive. He recognizes that his betrayal has left him dependent on Ye and fears both death and lasting bodily harm.
• Chen Chi and Wen Ning move from anger at Feng to satisfaction and gratitude toward Ye. The Yin-Yang Liquid gives them major gains in cultivation and aptitude.

Significant themes

• Greed and consequences: Feng’s attempt to seize Ye’s opportunity leaves him burdened by the Saber Spirit and at Ye’s mercy.
• Deception and strategy: Ye lets Feng underestimate him, then turns the situation to his advantage while retaining the moral upper hand.
• Power and control: Ye’s command of the Saber Spirit—and his decisive defeat of the attackers—establishes his overwhelming authority.
• Opportunity and transformation: The Yin-Yang Liquid represents gains that can reshape Chen Chi and Wen Ning’s futures.

Character interactions

• Ye repeatedly exposes Feng’s hypocrisy, while Feng tries unsuccessfully to appeal to their supposed friendship.
• Chen Chi and Wen Ning back Ye’s judgment and depart with him, openly enjoying their rewards.
• Feng follows Ye in fear, seeking mercy as Ye demonstrates how completely he controls the Saber Spirit.
• The chapter ends with Ye confronting an attacking force, shifting the conflict from personal retaliation to open combat.