Recaps

The God of Chaos tried to recruit Su Zhan to help him enter the Heavenly Painting Hall, but Su Zhan repeatedly refused. The God of Chaos offered him the leadership of a first-rate sect, leaving Su Zhan surprised by the offer.

• Su Zhan refused the God of Chaos, pleasing the King of the Underworld.
• The God of Chaos tried to persuade Su Zhan to change sides, but Su Zhan rejected him again.
• The King of the Underworld taunted the God of Chaos and urged him to leave and fight outside.
• Su Zhan told the God of Chaos he was not bargaining, and the King of the Underworld confirmed that Su Zhan meant his refusal.
• The God of Chaos offered to make Su Zhan the sect master of a first-rate sect if he helped him, and Su Zhan was surprised.

The God of Chaos tried to recruit Su Zhan as a puppet, but Su Zhan refused. The God of Chaos then revealed that the Sixth Elder had brought him there, prompting the King of the Underworld to suspect the Sixth Elder’s role in Xuan Qi’s death.

• The King of the Underworld warned Su Zhan that the God of Chaos’s offer would make him a puppet, and urged him not to trust the God of Chaos.
• The God of Chaos insisted Su Zhan would keep everything he gained through the sect, but Su Zhan refused and told him to leave.
• The Sixth Elder told the God of Chaos to stop disturbing Su Zhan, but the God of Chaos said the Sixth Elder had brought him there.
• The Sixth Elder denied the accusation and claimed the God of Chaos was sowing discord, while the King of the Underworld began to doubt him.
• The King of the Underworld questioned the Sixth Elder about whether he had brought him to deal with Su Zhan.

The King of the Underworld killed the Sixth Elder for betraying him, while the God of Chaos warned Su Zhan that they were now enemies. The King of the Underworld then took Su Zhan to the treasury and offered him ten precious treasures as payment.

• The God of Chaos revealed that he had planned to give the Sixth Elder's betrayal to the King of the Underworld as a gift.
• The King of the Underworld killed the Sixth Elder when he turned to beg for mercy.
• The God of Chaos warned Su Zhan that they would be enemies unless Su Zhan changed his mind, then left with the First Elder.
• The King of the Underworld brought Su Zhan into Underworld Mountain's treasury and explained that he had delayed discussing his request because he thought it would be easy and interesting.
• The King of the Underworld gave Su Zhan ten precious items and invited him to choose anything else he wanted.

Su Zhan and the King of the Underworld agreed to share the Heavenly Painting Hall’s treasures as they prepared to enter it. On the way, they and other travelers killed Cangyue Sect members who tried to claim the hall and demand half of its treasures.

• The King of the Underworld promised Su Zhan half the treasures in the Heavenly Painting Hall and asked for one specific treasure in return; Su Zhan agreed.
• The God of Chaos abandoned his attempt to recruit Su Zhan, sent his invited experts away, and decided he would follow Su Zhan into the hall if necessary.
• The King of the Underworld replaced the Sixth Elder after learning of his betrayal, then departed for the Heavenly Painting Hall with Su Zhan and the elders.
• The God of Chaos and other people seeking to enter the hall set out as well.
• Cangyue Sect members demanded that everyone swear to give them half the treasures in exchange for entry, so the King of the Underworld and the others attacked and killed them.

Su Zhan and King of the Underworld reached the sinking Heavenly Painting Hall, where ancient murals revealed Sword Cultivators’ battle against the Spirit Devouring Insect Clan. Su Zhan prepared to study and imitate the Sword Intent depicted in them, while many others gathered nearby hoping to enter the hall.

• Su Zhan and King of the Underworld traveled past people trying to extort a fortune from those seeking to enter the Heavenly Painting Hall.
• King of the Underworld pointed out the hall, and Su Zhan saw it leaning as if it might sink into the desert.
• Su Zhan examined the murals, which showed Sword Cultivators defeating the Spirit Devouring Insect King and revealed their movements with profound Sword Intent.
• Su Zhan realized King of the Underworld had chosen him because of his prior success, but he worried about reproducing the murals’ unique Sword Intent.
• Su Zhan felt eager to attempt the challenge and hoped studying the Sword Dao in the murals would help him improve.
• Su Zhan and King of the Underworld arrived at the hall, where many people had gathered and several lay sprawled on the ground, including members of the Cangyue Sect.

At the Heavenly Painting Hall, the King of the Underworld brought Su Zhan to attempt the murals’ trial, but the gathered groups argued over who should go first. Su Zhan suggested that everyone try together and challenged their objections.

• The gathered sect and clan representatives argued over who would attempt the murals’ trial first.
• Everyone fell silent when the King of the Underworld arrived and asked whether he had found a top-tier helper.
• The King of the Underworld introduced Su Zhan and proposed that he go first, prompting the others to object.
• The King of the Underworld defended Su Zhan and argued that the others’ chosen Sword Dao experts would fail and suffer injuries.
• Su Zhan suggested that everyone attempt the trial together, then asked why they feared interfering with one another.

Su Zhan pushed the rival factions to have their contenders challenge the Heavenly Painting Hall together, then began imitating the first mural's Sword Cultivator. The onlookers expected him to fail, while the challenge was just beginning.

• Su Zhan called the invited contenders incompetent and urged everyone to attempt the challenge at once.
• The invited contenders accepted, and the King of the Underworld challenged anyone who still objected to fight him.
• The factions agreed to proceed together and warned Su Zhan that he would not get another chance if he failed.
• Twenty or thirty contenders took positions before the murals, and the onlookers hoped their own candidate would win the Heavenly Painting Hall.
• Su Zhan waited until last, then began imitating the first mural's Sword Cultivator without studying it, drawing mockery from the crowd.

Su Zhan began the mural trial without studying the sword techniques in advance, trusting that he could complete it. When another participant failed first, the King of the Underworld defended Su Zhan and ordered the failed man to leave the desert.

• The King of the Underworld said Su Zhan would reach the end without familiarizing himself with the murals, despite the elders’ doubts.
• The other participants mocked Su Zhan for starting without preparation and predicted he would fail.
• A participant lost concentration after someone nearby disrupted him and failed to reproduce the first mural.
• The failed participant blamed the disturbance and Su Zhan’s suggestion to begin together.
• The King of the Underworld said the man had only himself to blame and ordered him out of the desert.

Su Zhan began copying the first mural's swordsmanship, surprising everyone with his precise recreation despite seeing it for the first time. The challenger beside him prepared to continue while the observers watched Su Zhan closely.

• The failed challenger left after fearing the King of the Underworld, and the person who hired him followed to reclaim the promised reward.
• The observers recalled that the murals grew harder at each stage and that no one had passed the final two stages.
• The man who had previously reached the tenth stage stood to Su Zhan's left, drawing attention from the crowd.
• Su Zhan watched the first mural's sword cultivator and copied his tricky swordsmanship with steady, precise strikes.
• The spectators were shocked by Su Zhan's performance, while the man beside him glanced at him once and returned his attention to his own challenge.

Su Zhan stunned the spectators by perfectly copying the Sword Cultivator in the Murals during his first trial, despite having never studied them. As he continued the challenge, the God of Chaos secretly hoped Su Zhan would succeed so he could enter the Heavenly Painting Hall.

• Su Zhan flawlessly matched the Sword Cultivator’s movements and Sword Intent, leaving the gathered spectators dumbfounded.
• The onlookers who had mocked Su Zhan continued to predict his failure, while the King of the Underworld’s elders defended him and taunted their rivals.
• The God of Chaos, hidden in the shadows, revealed that he had given up competing and planned to benefit if Su Zhan won.
• The God of Chaos hoped Su Zhan would reach the end and open the Heavenly Painting Hall, a victory also desired by the elders of Underworld Mountain.

Su Zhan passed the first mural trial, breaking one of the twelve chains on the Heavenly Painting Hall’s doors and proving he had the strength to help open it. He and Qi Liang proceeded to the second trial as the onlookers argued over who would reach the end, while their invited challengers grew impatient and watched them.

• The onlookers reconsidered their doubts about Su Zhan, acknowledging that his strength justified his share of the Heavenly Painting Hall’s treasures.
• Su Zhan passed the first mural trial, and golden light broke one of the twelve chains on the hall’s doors.
• Golden light coiled around Su Zhan and Qi Liang after they both passed, and Qi Liang moved on to challenge the second mural.
• The onlookers praised Qi Liang and their own chosen challengers while dismissing Su Zhan’s chances, and the King of the Underworld laughed without arguing.
• The onlookers noticed their invited challengers becoming impatient and repeatedly glancing at Su Zhan and Qi Liang.

Su Zhan began challenging the second mural while the other cultivators struggled to pass the first trial. After many failed and left, the remaining challengers stayed focused on the trials and the chance to seize the Heavenly Painting Hall.

• Su Zhan began challenging the second mural with fluid sword movements.
• The elders of Underworld Mountain mocked the cultivators who had not passed the first mural and praised Su Zhan's chances.
• About half of the twenty or thirty challengers failed the first trial, prompting their companions to curse them.
• King of the Underworld and the other elders ordered the failed cultivators to stop shouting and leave.
• The failed cultivators departed, while those still competing watched for someone to open the Heavenly Painting Hall.

Su Zhan and Qi Liang advanced through the second Mural while the others struggled to catch up, and Su Zhan was inspired by the Sword Cultivator’s skill and resolve. As onlookers mocked Su Zhan’s confidence, the King of the Underworld and Underworld Mountain laughed at them.

• The remaining challengers passed the first trial after the earlier group left, though they moved slowly and with difficulty.
• Su Zhan and Qi Liang progressed more than halfway through the second Mural, with Qi Liang benefiting from his previous experience.
• Su Zhan sensed the Spirit Devouring Insect Clan’s terrifying presence and admired the Sword Cultivator’s strength, swordsmanship, and courage.
• Su Zhan smiled confidently, prompting onlookers to mock him and question the King of the Underworld’s choice.
• The King of the Underworld mocked the onlookers for their jealousy, and Underworld Mountain and the hidden God of Chaos laughed.

A failed challenger attacked Su Zhan and Qi Liang, trying to stop them from opening the Heavenly Painting Hall. The God of Chaos intervened to protect Su Zhan, leaving the King of the Underworld questioning why he had come.

• A failed challenger blamed Su Zhan and Qi Liang for his failure and attacked them while they were unable to defend themselves.
• The King of the Underworld and Elder Chen moved to stop the attack, but the challenger used a puppet to distract them and struck at Su Zhan and Qi Liang with his real body.
• The Elder of Underworld Mountain also tried to intervene, but the God of Chaos appeared beside Su Zhan, broke the attacker's arm, and stopped his strike at Qi Liang.
• Su Zhan recognized the God of Chaos, and the King of the Underworld asked why he was there.
• The God of Chaos said he had come to protect Su Zhan and warned that too many people attacking would reveal them.

Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong hid among the enemy ranks while the black-clad men searched for them. The elder led a search party outside, unaware that Su Zhan had joined one of the groups and was leading it away from him.

• Su Zhan destroyed the traces of their escape and returned with Hun Tianlong to the enemy ranks.
• The elder realized one person was missing, and the black-clad men suspected Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong had disappeared.
• The elder agreed to search outside and ordered the men to search in groups of five and signal with fireworks if they found anything.
• Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong joined a group with three nearby men, and Su Zhan led them away from the elder.
• The elder searched with two men while Su Zhan led his group farther from the elder's location.

Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong lured three masked men into a formation and revealed their identities. The men failed to contact their Elder, leaving them trapped and cut off from help.

• Su Zhan left the group and secretly led them toward a tree, while Hun Tianlong kept their cover intact.
• The three masked men approached the tree and were caught in a formation; Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong remained outside it.
• The trapped men recognized Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong and threatened them with the Elder's retaliation.
• Su Zhan demanded to know who they were and why they were targeting them, but they refused to answer.
• The men set off fireworks and tried treasures to contact the Elder, but Su Zhan's formation blocked every attempt.

Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong lured the masked pursuers into Su Zhan’s formation and eliminated them until only the elder and two others remained. The elder followed a signal to two apparently injured figures, sensed a trap, and retreated.

• Su Zhan ignored the three captives’ silence and killed them with the formation.
• Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong lured the pursuers into the formation by claiming they suspected impostors among their group.
• Su Zhan eliminated the pursuers one by one, leaving only the elder and his two companions.
• The elder noticed the forest had grown unusually quiet and warned his companions to be careful.
• The elder followed the agreed fireworks signal to two disheveled, apparently injured figures, sensed danger, and retreated.

Su Zhan revealed himself to the elder after luring two of his men into a grand formation, then defeated the elder in battle. The elder refused to reveal his origins and was killed, leaving Hun Tianlong angry but determined to find the group another way.

• Su Zhan dropped his disguise and used the grand formation to kill the two men who had entered it.
• Su Zhan mocked the elder for failing to recognize him, and the elder demanded to know what had happened to his subordinates.
• Su Zhan fought the elder alone and steadily overwhelmed him.
• The elder tried to flee, but Su Zhan blocked his path and demanded answers.
• The elder attacked instead of talking, and Su Zhan killed him with a single sword stroke.
• Hun Tianlong complained that the elder had refused to reveal his origins, while Su Zhan was unsurprised by his silence.

Su Zhan discovered that the Elder had survived by using a wooden puppet and could vanish into a space-controlling treasure. The Elder disappeared again to attack, leaving Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong trapped and braced for danger.

• Su Zhan searched the Elder's storage treasure for a way out, but the Elder vanished and attacked him from behind.
• Su Zhan dodged the Elder's sword and realized the Elder had used a wooden puppet to fake his death.
• The Elder revealed that his treasure let him create an entrance to the isolated space wherever he wished and hide inside it.
• The Elder vanished again, and Hun Tianlong moved in front of Su Zhan to protect him.
• Su Zhan told Hun Tianlong to look after himself, then sensed murderous intent behind him.

Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong defeated the grand elder’s ambush, but the elder triggered a spatial catastrophe in a final attempt to kill them. Su Zhan escaped the collapsing woods with the badly wounded Hun Tianlong, though he was left covered in wounds himself.

• Su Zhan deduced that the enemy had to enter his space to attack, then pretended to watch ahead to lure the hidden elder into approaching from behind.
• As the elder reached Su Zhan, Su Zhan turned and attacked while Hun Tianlong struck the elder’s Dantian with a dragon claw.
• The mortally threatened elder activated a spatial treasure, causing the surrounding space to destabilize and fill with rifts.
• Su Zhan shoved the elder into a spatial rift, then carried Hun Tianlong through the destructive spatial storm despite being repeatedly injured.
• After they escaped, Hun Tianlong blamed himself for making Su Zhan risk his life, but Su Zhan reassured him and patted his shoulder.

Su Zhan reached Palace Master Xiao’s gathering after masked attackers wounded him on the road, hoping to identify who had targeted him. Palace Master Xiao found the attackers’ strength and secrecy contradictory, leaving their identities unknown.

• Su Zhan ignored Hun Tianlong’s pleas to rest and traveled to find Palace Master Xiao, taking healing pills along the way.
• Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong arrived safely, where the others reacted with alarm at Su Zhan’s injuries.
• Su Zhan recounted the ambush and showed the group a mask taken from the attackers.
• The gathered guests failed to recognize the mask, and Palace Master Xiao said the attackers’ power and concealment did not fit the usual types of masked assailants.

After an attack injured Su Zhan, Palace Master Xiao agreed to investigate while cultivators across the region joined the search for the culprit. The Palace Lord of Miao Miao Palace, fearing discovery, ordered attacks on those helping Su Zhan.

• Palace Master Xiao named Zhi Shan Tower, Ku Gu Gate, Mo Wen Xuan, and Miao Miao Palace as possible suspects, while warning that the culprit still needed confirmation.
• Su Zhan asked Palace Master Xiao to investigate, and Palace Master Xiao accepted responsibility for finding who had ambushed him.
• The banquet ended, and powerful guests offered to help Palace Master Xiao search for clues.
• The Lin Household sent people to investigate, and cultivators from many places joined the effort to find Su Zhan's attacker.
• The Palace Lord of Miao Miao Palace ordered the Grand Elder to launch sneak attacks on Su Zhan's supporters to deter them and keep the palace's involvement secret.

Su Zhan learned that the Grand Elder was killing people who helped investigate the plot against him, so he asked Palace Master Xiao to send them home and vowed to avenge the dead. Palace Master Xiao revealed that his people had found the person who forged the mask used by the mastermind.

• The Grand Elder led an elite force to attack helpers who were isolated or outnumbered, killing many, including several God Kings.
• As a result, fewer people helped Su Zhan, and those who continued searched more cautiously.
• After Hun Tianlong told him about the deaths, Su Zhan asked Palace Master Xiao to persuade everyone helping him to return home so they would not be dragged into danger.
• Palace Master Xiao told Su Zhan that the people behind the attacks were afraid of being discovered and urged him to avenge the dead.
• Palace Master Xiao revealed that his people had found the person who forged the high-quality mask that concealed the wearer's face.

Su Zhan went to the Boundless Mountain Range to find Gu Feng, the mask refiner suspected of being behind the plot. After sending Palace Master Xiao’s people away, Su Zhan began searching near Gu Feng’s last known location while Gu Feng remained hidden in a concealed cave.

• Palace Master Xiao told Su Zhan that Gu Feng had fled into the Boundless Mountain Range after people began investigating the masks.
• Su Zhan thanked Palace Master Xiao and set out for the mountain range with Hun Tianlong and the map.
• Su Zhan met Palace Master Xiao’s subordinates and sent them back, insisting that he and Hun Tianlong would search alone.
• Su Zhan went to the place where Gu Feng had vanished and decided to search nearby for clues.
• Gu Feng hid in a cave behind a concealment treasure and regretted refining the masks for money.

Gu Feng hid in a cave using a concealment treasure, but Su Zhan found him and destroyed it. Gu Feng tried to escape and insisted he had only refined the mask for payment, leaving his fate unresolved.

• Gu Feng regretted getting involved and tried to reassure himself as footsteps approached his hiding place.
• Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong found Gu Feng after Su Zhan broke the concealment treasure.
• Gu Feng hurled treasures at Su Zhan and Hun Tianlong and tried to flee, but Su Zhan stopped him.
• Gu Feng guessed Su Zhan worked for Palace Master Xiao and claimed he had refined the mask without knowing who commissioned it.