Chapter Summaries

Jiang Che and Qin Wuya’s duel ended in a draw after their strongest attacks collided, but news that the Demon Sect had launched coordinated attacks across Cang Prefecture Capital forced the sects to rush home. Jiang Che suspected Xie Songnian and returned with the Azure Cloud Sect, shifting his consciousness to Little Black along the way.

• Qin Wuya unleashed Heavenly Stellar Destruction: Peerless, and Jiang Che answered with a devastating arrow from the Star Chaser Bow; their attacks collided and left both fighters exhausted, with neither able to claim victory.
• The spectators and sect leaders reacted to Jiang Che’s power, while Fang Muye regained some confidence after realizing Jiang Che had been overwhelmingly strong.
• A wounded Taiyuan Sect disciple and a Mystic Sound Sect disciple reported that the Demon Sect had attacked their mountain gates, followed by news that other sects and families were under attack too.
• Qin Fuhu ordered the assembled factions to return and reinforce their homes, and the sect leaders and disciples hurried away from the plaza.
• Qin Wuya postponed his fight with Jiang Che and departed with the Taiyuan Sect; Jiang Che took two Divine Crane Pills, suspected Xie Songnian was behind the attacks, and raced back with the Azure Cloud Sect.
• Jiang Che shifted his consciousness to Little Black, who was patrolling near the Chief Disciple Courtyard.

Jiang Che returned to the Azure Cloud Sect after the Demon Sect’s assault and learned that Xie Songnian had been declared innocent despite the evidence against him. Xu Qingshan warned Jiang Che that powerful forces had shaped the outcome and urged him to stop investigating, stay alive, and grow stronger.

• Little Black killed the Demon Sect attackers approaching Jiang Ling’s courtyard, and Jiang Che reunited with his frightened sister after returning to the Azure Cloud Sect.
• The sect’s leaders drove off the remaining invaders, while the attack left many factions devastated and sparked demands that Xie Songnian answer for the Demon-Slaying Alliance’s failure.
• Xu Qingshan told Jiang Che that he had submitted evidence against Xie Songnian to the Commander-in-Chief Mansion, and said Cloud Sea Courtyard had lost three disciples while seven were seriously injured.
• The Commander-in-Chief Mansion’s investigation declared Xie Songnian innocent and blamed Demon Sect spies, prompting public anger before the Qilin Army forced the unrest to subside.
• Jiang Che confronted Xu Qingshan about Xie Songnian’s release, and Xu Qingshan warned him that the truth mattered less than what powerful people wanted it to be, ordering him not to investigate further and to protect himself.

After discovering that Commander-in-Chief Qin Fuhu was secretly backing Xie Songnian, Jiang Che focused on becoming stronger. He reached Peak Organ-Refining Realm, opened his first major acupoint, mastered Azure Dragon Annihilation, and combined it with Twentyfold Strike to unleash a devastating attack.

• Jiang Che tracked a mysterious servant from Xie Songnian’s quarters to the Commander-in-Chief Mansion and learned that Commander-in-Chief Qin Fuhu was supporting Xie Songnian.
• Jiang Che entered the Grade A Cultivation Room and, after a month of training, broke through to Peak Organ-Refining Realm, while his talents improved and Eighteenfold Strike advanced to Twentyfold Strike.
• Jiang Che used Divine Sense to open the Qi Sea Acupoint, reaching the threshold of Spirit-Refining and receiving the final form of the Nine Heavens Azure Cloud Art, Azure Dragon Annihilation.
• Jiang Che spent half a month practicing Azure Dragon Annihilation until he mastered it, then tested the technique by piercing through a massive stone.
• Jiang Che combined Twentyfold Strike with Azure Dragon Annihilation and blasted a half-meter-wide hole through a distant cliff, demonstrating the attack’s enormous power.

During Jiang Che’s seclusion, the Demon-Slaying Alliance’s purge turned Cang Prefecture Capital into a bloody scramble, while Qin Fuhu revealed his plan to exploit the chaos and weaken the martial world. After Jiang Che returned and displayed his breakthrough to Peak Organ-Refining Realm, Xie Songnian assigned him and Fang Muye a dangerous joint mission to Wolf Fang Valley, which Jiang Che suspected was a trap.

• The Demon-Slaying Alliance uprooted alleged Demon Sect strongholds, and martial artists used the purge to loot and settle grudges as Qin Fuhu sealed the routes out of Cang Prefecture Capital and let the violence continue.
• Qin Fuhu told Long Xiang that he intended to let the martial sects cripple one another before the Commander-in-Chief Mansion intervened, then learned that rebels had taken Qing Province and Great Yan Kingdom had massed troops at the western border.
• After leaving seclusion, Jiang Che spent time with Jiang Ling and trained Little Black before attending a summons at the Internal Affairs Hall.
• Shi Poyue noticed that Jiang Che had reached Peak Organ-Refining Realm, shocking the gathered disciples and leaving Fang Muye despairing over the gap between them.
• Xie Songnian assigned missions to the Azure Cloud Sect disciples and ordered Jiang Che and Fang Muye to lead a team to Wolf Fang Valley.
• Jiang Che accepted the mission while suspecting Xie Songnian had arranged a trap and resolving to use Shadow Evasion if the danger became too great.

Jiang Che and Fang Muye cleared Demon Sect outposts in Wolf Fang Valley, then faced Ghost Hand Rakshasa, a True Person Realm enemy from Jiang Che’s past. After Fang Muye fled and Jiang Che was badly injured by Ghost Hand Rakshasa’s first attack, Jiang Che launched a counterstrike.

• Jiang Che and Fang Muye led their disciples into Wolf Fang Valley and cleared three Demon Sect outposts, though Jiang Che grew suspicious of how easy the raids were.
• Jiang Che and Fang Muye entered the deepest cavern, where Jiang Che killed the Half-Step True Person Demon Sect leader in ten breaths while Fang Muye held off four experts.
• Jiang Che and Fang Muye defeated the four remaining Demon Sect experts, but Ghost Hand Rakshasa appeared and blocked their way out of the valley.
• Fang Muye activated Blood Evasion Wind Chasing and fled, leaving Jiang Che alone to face Ghost Hand Rakshasa.
• Ghost Hand Rakshasa struck Jiang Che with a ghost hand, badly injuring him, and Jiang Che retaliated with Twentyfold Strike and Azure Dragon Extinction.

Jiang Che severely wounded Ghost Hand Rakshasa with a surprise destruction beam, but the True Person Realm expert survived and unleashed his Hundred Ghosts Night Parade. Jiang Che transformed into a Black-Armored Giant and fought him head-on, leaving the battle unresolved.

• Jiang Che's destruction beam pierced Ghost Hand Rakshasa's lower abdomen and dantian despite the protection of his Ghost Face Shield.
• Ghost Hand Rakshasa sealed his wound, then unleashed the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade against Jiang Che.
• Jiang Che swallowed a Divine Crane Pill and transformed into a Black-Armored Giant.
• Ghost Hand Rakshasa cautiously kept his distance as Jiang Che charged through the vengeful souls to attack him.
• Ghost Hand Rakshasa struck Jiang Che with his Heart-Corroding Bone-Eroding Claw, corroding his armor and slowing his recovery, but was shocked by how little damage he inflicted.
• Jiang Che and Ghost Hand Rakshasa exchanged several more fierce blows.

Jiang Che used the Sect Master Seal to survive Ghost Hand Rakshasa’s ultimate attack, then killed him with Azure Dragon Annihilation and disposed of the remains. Meanwhile, the fleeing Fang Muye encountered Gu Qingxuan on the mountain path outside Wolf Fang Valley.

• Ghost Hand Rakshasa unleashed his strongest palm strike, but the Sect Master Seal shielded Jiang Che from it.
• Jiang Che restrained Ghost Hand Rakshasa and vaporized his upper body with twentyfold Azure Dragon Annihilation.
• Jiang Che recovered, took Ghost Hand Rakshasa’s Ghost Face Small Shield, dissolved the remaining legs, and left Wolf Fang Valley.
• Fang Muye fled while convincing himself that abandoning Jiang Che had been necessary.
• Fang Muye met Gu Qingxuan walking toward him on the mountain path.

After escaping the attack in Wolf Fang Valley, Fang Muye told Gu Qingxuan and Xie Songnian that Jiang Che was trapped, prompting both to rush toward the valley. Jiang Che escaped separately, but Xie Songnian confronted him on a mountain road and questioned how he had survived the ambush.

• Fang Muye told Gu Qingxuan that Ghost Hand Rakshasa had attacked and that Jiang Che was likely dead, so Gu Qingxuan hurried back toward Wolf Fang Valley to save him.
• Fang Muye abandoned thoughts of returning by the same route, but encountered Xie Songnian, who asked what had happened and where Jiang Che was.
• Fang Muye told Xie Songnian that a True Person Realm Demon Sect expert had trapped Jiang Che in Wolf Fang Valley and that Gu Qingxuan had gone in alone to rescue him.
• Xie Songnian rushed toward Wolf Fang Valley, and Fang Muye convinced himself he had done all he could before continuing toward the Azure Cloud Sect.
• Jiang Che left Wolf Fang Valley and fled toward the sect, but Xie Songnian appeared on the mountain road and demanded to know how Jiang Che had survived the ambush.

Jiang Che survived Ghost Hand Rakshasa’s attack, but Xie Songnian tried to kill him before other elders arrived. Xie Songnian concealed his intent with a false explanation, and Xu Qingshan took Jiang Che back to the academy.

• Jiang Che told Xie Songnian that a mysterious black-clad expert had fought Ghost Hand Rakshasa, allowing him to escape.
• Xie Songnian decided to kill Jiang Che himself, but Jiang Che’s True Myriad Phenomena Eye foresaw the fatal attack and he prepared to use Shadow Evasion.
• Gu Qingxuan arrived and interrupted Xie Songnian just before he attacked Jiang Che.
• Xu Qingshan and Ye Lianzhen arrived after sensing the Sect Master Seal’s activation, forcing Xie Songnian to abandon his plan.
• Xie Songnian claimed he had come to rescue Jiang Che, while Xu Qingshan took Jiang Che back to the academy and Ye Lianzhen followed.

Jiang Che returned safely to Azure Cloud Sect, reported his mission, and received rewards before the sect suspended missions for younger disciples amid fears of further Demon Sect assassinations. After months of quiet cultivation, a disciple brought news of a major event at the border.

• Xu Qingshan warned Jiang Che that he had been targeted for assassination and urged him to stay in the sect and cultivate.
• Jiang Che and Fang Muye reported their missions; Jiang Che recounted his fight with Ghost Hand Rakshasa and turned over most of his spoils for the sect treasury.
• Jiang Che received generous merit rewards, while the elders let his account of a mysterious black-clad expert go unexamined.
• Xu Qingshan proposed suspending missions for Organ-Refining Realm disciples and below, and the sect leaders approved the motion.
• Jiang Che returned to seclusion and cultivated for several months as the martial world entered a period of calm.
• An outer sect disciple announced in the dining hall that something major had happened at the border.

Jiang Che used the Master of Hundred Arts’ inheritance to open seven great acupoints in three months, greatly strengthening his Divine Sense and talents. He had nearly exhausted the Blood-Qi Realm martial arts available in the Azure Cloud Sect’s Scripture Repository, while rumors of the Heavenly Strategy Guard stirred Cang Prefecture Capital.

• Rumors spread that Great Chu’s court planned to train young talents at the three top sects and form the Heavenly Strategy Guard amid unrest and territorial losses.
• Jiang Che secluded himself after reaching the Peak Organ-Refining Realm and used the Master of Hundred Arts’ guidance to break through the Spirit Storehouse Acupoint.
• Over three months, Jiang Che opened six more acupoints, reaching the seventh, the Life Gate Acupoint, and gaining greatly enhanced Divine Sense.
• Jiang Che continued practicing cultivation and dispersing cultivation to strengthen his talents, but Twentyfold Strike and Shadow Evasion did not evolve further.
• Jiang Che realized he had nearly learned every Blood-Qi Realm martial art he could obtain from the Azure Cloud Sect’s Scripture Repository.

Jiang Che sought Blood-Qi Realm martial arts manuals to continue evolving his talents and went to Mystic Sound Sect to borrow them. Xiao Qingge secured him temporary access to the Scripture Repository in exchange for a favor.

• Jiang Che left Azure Cloud Sect and traveled to Mystic Sound Sect to find more Blood-Qi Realm manuals.
• Xiao Qingge demonstrated her sound-based martial arts to her junior sisters before welcoming Jiang Che.
• Jiang Che asked Xiao Qingge to help him borrow Blood-Qi Realm manuals and explained that he wanted to strengthen his foundation.
• Xiao Qingge agreed to help on the condition that Jiang Che borrowed only Blood-Qi Realm manuals and owed her a favor.
• Xiao Qingge persuaded the Scripture Repository elder to issue Jiang Che a token for temporary access.

Jiang Che visited the Mystic Sound Sect, the Chen Family, and the Heaven-Splitting Sect to memorize their Blood-Qi Realm martial arts manuals. At Taiyuan Sect, Lin Qingyun said he could not grant access to its Scripture Repository himself and led Jiang Che to seek help from Qin Wuya.

• Xiao Qingge warned Jiang Che that some manuals had been lost from the Mystic Sound Sect’s Scripture Repository, and Jiang Che memorized more than forty new Blood-Qi Realm manuals there.
• Chen Jiayu welcomed Jiang Che and let him into the Chen Family’s Martial Arts Pavilion, where Jiang Che memorized more than thirty new techniques.
• Qing Ling took Jiang Che to the Heaven-Splitting Sect’s library, where he memorized another dozen or so manuals.
• At Taiyuan Sect, Lin Qingyun told Jiang Che that Qin Wuya might be able to authorize his access to the Scripture Repository.
• Lin Qingyun led Jiang Che through the training grounds to meet Qin Wuya, who was teaching inner disciples on a Bronze Arena.

Jiang Che accepted Qin Wuya’s challenge at Taiyuan Sect, with the right to borrow any Blood-Qi Realm secret manual at stake. Their long-awaited duel began before a huge crowd, and Qin Wuya launched the first attack.

• Jiang Che explained that he wanted to borrow Blood-Qi Realm martial arts manuals, and Qin Wuya offered access to any such manual if they fought again.
• Jiang Che accepted Qin Wuya’s challenge, and news of the duel spread through Cang Prefecture Capital, drawing sects, clans, and young prodigies to Taiyuan Sect.
• Jiang Che and Qin Wuya faced each other on the Bronze Arena as spectators gathered, including Zhao Qingtian, Lin Qingyun, and several core elders.
• Jiang Che put on his Silk-Entwining Gauntlets, and the two fighters’ contrasting momentum clashed across the arena.
• Qin Wuya charged forward and thrust his Mystic Iron spear toward Jiang Che’s heart.

Jiang Che overwhelmed Qin Wuya in their renewed battle, ultimately unleashing a destructive strike that would have killed him. The Taiyuan Sect’s Sect Master Seal saved Qin Wuya at the last moment, but it cracked under the attack and Jiang Che won decisively.

• Jiang Che blocked Qin Wuya’s spear thrust with one punch and knocked him back, stunning the spectators.
• Qin Wuya changed his spear technique, but Jiang Che read his attacks and countered with precise blows, suppressing him.
• Qin Wuya unleashed Heavenly Stellar Destruction: Peerless, and Jiang Che answered with Twentyfold Strike: Azure Dragon Annihilation.
• Jiang Che’s black beam destroyed Qin Wuya’s starlight attack and nearly struck his brow before the Sect Master Seal formed a shield.
• The Sect Master Seal stopped Jiang Che’s strike but cracked as Qin Wuya was hurled away, leaving him defeated and aware that the seal had saved his life.

Jiang Che defeated Qin Wuya at the Tiangang Martial Arena, establishing himself as the strongest of Cang Prefecture Capital's younger generation. Afterward, he collected martial arts manuals from the Taiyuan Sect's Scripture Repository, and the Cang Prefecture Wind and Cloud Record announced his rise to the summit.

• Jiang Che defeated Qin Wuya with Azure Dragon Annihilation, an attack powerful enough to threaten True Person Realm experts.
• Qin Wuya admitted defeat and left the arena, while Jiang Che reflected that the loss might become either a Heart Demon or a chance for him to advance.
• Jiang Che visited the Taiyuan Sect's Scripture Repository and recorded more than sixty new Blood-Qi Realm martial arts manuals.
• Lin Qingyun escorted Jiang Che to the mountain gate and promised to catch up to him.
• The Cang Prefecture Wind and Cloud Record proclaimed Jiang Che the number one of Cang Prefecture's younger generation.

Jiang Che became the top-ranked young martial artist in Cang Prefecture Capital, while rumors about his cultivation method sparked controversy that his supporters quickly overwhelmed. He ignored the debate and entered seclusion to prepare for his breakthrough to the True Person Realm.

• Four Seas Pavilion named Jiang Che No. 1 on the Hidden Dragon Ranking and reported that Qin Xuange had reached the True Person Realm and withdrawn.
• Rumors spread that Jiang Che’s rapid progress came from repeatedly cultivating low-level techniques and dispersing his cultivation without damaging his foundation.
• Critics condemned Jiang Che’s method, but martial artists defended him, citing his strength and his record of fighting the Demon Sect.
• Jiang Che entered the Grade A Cultivation Room and began cultivating more than one hundred and forty Blood-Qi Realm martial arts while opening his remaining Five acupoints.
• Jiang Che perfected techniques including Crushing Stone Fist and Phantom Step, activating the talents Collapse Force and Afterimage.

While Jiang Che cultivated in seclusion, the Demon-Slaying Alliance and Qilin Army eradicated the Demon Sect forces in Cang Prefecture Capital. Jiang Che’s talents transformed, granting him a new weapon-dissolving ability, and he left seclusion to test it on ordinary weapons.

• The Iron Eagle Guard helped the Demon-Slaying Alliance uncover hidden Demon Sect strongholds, while experts from the three great sects killed the sect’s leaders.
• A month later, the Commander-in-Chief Mansion and Demon-Slaying Alliance announced that the Demon Sect forces in Cang Prefecture Capital had been annihilated, and the city celebrated.
• Jiang Che cultivated martial arts and strengthened his core talents, gaining a limited ability to glimpse trivial future events.
• After Jiang Che merged his one hundred and thirty-seventh Blood-Qi Realm martial art, [Nine Li Weapon Lord] transformed and gained [Weapon Dissolution: Divine Descent].
• Jiang Che held back from dissolving his Star Chaser Bow and ordered a menial disciple to bring him several ordinary weapons to test the skill.

Jiang Che tested Weapon Dissolution: Divine Descent and discovered that he could turn weapons into reusable Weapon Souls, each granting a different skill. He dissolved the True-grade Star Chaser Bow and gained Nirvana: Star Chaser Arrow, an automatically tracking attack.

• Jiang Che dissolved a common refined iron longsword, gained Sharp Qi Slash, and tested its Sword Qi against a cultivation room wall.
• Jiang Che removed the longsword’s Weapon Soul and restored the weapon, then dissolved a refined iron spear to gain Armor-Piercing Thrust.
• Jiang Che tested a saber, halberd, and round shield, gaining Tyrannical Slash, Half-Moon Arc, and Solid Wall.
• Jiang Che dissolved the True-grade Star Chaser Bow and gained Nirvana: Star Chaser Arrow, a destructive energy arrow that pursued its locked target.

Jiang Che dissolved the Silk-Entwining Gauntlets to obtain the Indestructible skill but kept Nirvana: Star Chaser Arrow in his Soul Slot, then tested its destructive and tracking power. After restoring his strength, he read news suggesting the Shadow Prison Sect’s defeat was suspicious and learned that selection for the Heavenly Strategy Guard was beginning.

• Jiang Che obtained the Indestructible skill from the genuine Silk-Entwining Gauntlets but chose to keep Nirvana: Star Chaser Arrow in his Soul Slot.
• Jiang Che tested a twenty-fivefold Star Chaser Arrow, which devastated a rock wall and revealed its tracking connection to his Divine Sense.
• Jiang Che restored his spent force and returned to his Chief Courtyard.
• Jiang Che read reports of the campaign against the Demon Sect and suspected the Shadow Prison Sect had not truly been wiped out, noting Xie Songnian’s secretive contact with the Commander-in-Chief Mansion.
• Jiang Che read that selection for the Heavenly Strategy Guard would soon begin and learned it offered a Complete Truth Realm cultivation method.