Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Yuanfeng questions Heifeng about Qin An, dismissing the death of a Bronze Prefecture General and warning Heifeng to use the coming Hunter Cultivation Assembly as a chance to advance from Meridian Condensation Realm Great Accomplishment to Perfection.
• Qin An spends the days before the Assembly studying in the Confidential Archives. Yang Qing gives him a guide to the event and invites him to a banquet with aristocratic youths, but Qin An declines, preferring to avoid political networking and focus on cultivation.
• Qin An learns that the Assembly targets Cultivators because their bodies benefit Demons and False Gods. It also serves the Evil Extermination Division: its forces use the event to draw out and kill those threats.
• Qian Yong, secretly connected to the Flood Dragon Hall and other Demon factions, monitors Qin An. Unable to catch him outside the Division, he decides to wait until the Assembly forces him into the field.
• Qin An reaches Scholar level ten, bringing his Mind Method talents to Meridian Condensation Realm Great Completion. He studies the Flood Dragon Secret Art, then uses sudden insight to merge it with the Bodhi Vajra Water Fire Scripture, creating the Bodhi Four Symbols Art without spending Demon Crystals.
• The new art gives his True Qi four attributes—fire, metal, water, and wind—and raises his cultivation to Meridian Condensation Realm Great Accomplishment. Confident in his increased strength, Qin An plans to improve his other skills, but an officer arrives with his Assembly mission.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains deliberate and independent: he recognizes Yang Qing’s attempt to build a connection through Zhao Wuhuan but refuses the banquet, choosing personal strength over social influence. His study and talent lead to a major cultivation breakthrough.
• Yang Qing acts on a debt to Zhao Wuhuan while also hoping to cultivate ties with Qin An, whom he sees as promising. Qin An understands both motives but politely declines.
• Qian Yong is revealed as a calculating double- or multiple-agent who trades intelligence and others’ lives for his own safety. His hostility toward Qin An is sharpened by Demon factions’ anger over Qin An’s previous victories.
• Zhou Yuanfeng treats Heifeng coldly and redirects his concern toward surviving and benefiting from the Assembly.

Significant themes

• Strength over influence: Qin An sees cultivation as the surest foundation in a dangerous political world and avoids entanglements that might distract him.
• Opportunity amid danger: The Assembly puts Cultivators at risk, yet also gives the Evil Extermination Division a chance to strike exposed Demons and False Gods.
• Preparation and self-reliance: Qin An’s patient study, balanced training, and cultivation breakthroughs prepare him for escalating threats.
• Betrayal and self-preservation: Qian Yong’s willingness to sacrifice others highlights the moral compromises within the Division and its surrounding power struggle.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An receives orders to join several Prefecture Generals in guarding Zizai Gate, a sect about a hundred li from Xunyang Prefecture, as the Hunter Cultivation Assembly approaches.
• He sees the assignment as an opportunity: the coming conflict may provide Demon Crystals, which he needs for his cultivation and techniques. He exchanges his recent mission merits for two crystals, bringing his total to seventeen, then spends the day practicing butchery.
• The next morning, Qin An sets out with Yang Qing and Qian Yong, along with hundreds of Prefecture Officers. They reach Mount Zizai without incident and deploy the officers around the sect.
• Sect Master Chen Jing welcomes the three Bronze Prefecture Generals and gives them lodging. The sect and its disciples are visibly strained by the danger ahead.
• Unknown to Qin An and the others, Qian Yong is a traitor working with Demons. He has leaked their location and the weakest point in Zizai Gate’s defenses to their enemies.
• Nearby, Demons and Buddha Statue False Gods gather under the influence of Jiao Yu’er, who urges them to unite against Qin An and Zizai Gate. They agree to attack that night, with Mount Xiaoyao specifically seeking Qin An’s head.

Character developments

• Qin An remains practical and disciplined, focused on completing his mission while also treating danger as a chance to advance his cultivation. He is new to this assignment and initially leaves the negotiations with Sect Master Chen to Yang Qing.
• Yang Qing is cooperative and decisive, greeting Qin An warmly and taking charge of communicating the guard arrangements.
• Qian Yong is revealed as a calculating infiltrator. He joined the mission through connections to help the Demons kill Qin An.
• Jiao Yu’er acts as a strategist and mediator, exploiting the enemies’ shared objective to organize an attack.
• Zizai Gate’s disciples and Sect Master Chen show the emotional cost of the looming Assembly: even a respectable sect is anxious and fearful.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and hidden threats: The danger comes not only from outside forces but also from an ally within the guard party.
• Survival through uneasy alliances: Rivals with longstanding grievances cooperate when they share a powerful enemy.
• Preparation amid uncertainty: Qin An pursues steady training and cultivation resources, while the sect and its protectors brace for a deadly event.
• Power and political maneuvering: Assignments, personal connections, and factional rivalries shape who serves where and how the coming battle may unfold.

Character interactions

• Qin An and Yang Qing greet one another as trusted colleagues and agree to work together.
• Qian Yong presents himself as a fellow officer while secretly plotting against Qin An.
• Yang Qing and Qian Yong coordinate the officers’ deployment, and Yang Qing tells Chen Jing that the sect’s perimeter is guarded.
• Chen Jing respectfully hosts the officers, reflecting the Evil Extermination Division’s authority.
• Jiao Yu’er persuades the Fox Demons and Buddha Statue False Gods to cooperate, directing their shared hostility toward Qin An and Zizai Gate.

Plot and events

• On the eve of the Hunter Cultivation Assembly, Qin An and Yang Qing discuss Qian Yong’s uncharacteristic behavior. Yang hints that a friend’s death in a power struggle taught him hard lessons.
• Yang detects killing intent, and Qin An immediately draws his blade. They head toward the fighting; Qian Yong joins them, then secretly redirects Sect Master Chen and the Zizai Gate forces away from the weakest defenses.
• Qian Yong is revealed to be betraying the gate. He plans to let it be destroyed, then escape with the survivors along a “bloody path” of his own making.
• Qin An and Yang find Prefecture Officers dead. Qin notices that only Yang’s men have fallen and that Qian Yong’s troops arrived suspiciously late. When those troops claim Demons delayed them, Yang suspects they are lying.
• Qin sees through the setup and turns it against the conspirators: Yang is to gather the loyal Prefecture Officers and bring them to the main hall, while Qin goes ahead alone.
• At the hall, Sect Master Chen and the elders face a large Demon force led by Hu Yan, Foyun, and Jiao Yu’er. With their allies absent, they are badly outnumbered. Jiao Yu’er and the other powerful Demons quickly wound the sect leader and all four elders, then order the attack.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains calm and practical, focused on the Demon Crystals the battle could yield. His confidence has grown with his cultivation: he believes he can face even formidable Meridian Condensation Realm opponents. He earns Yang’s trust by spotting the deception and taking the risky route to the hall alone.
• Yang Qing shows both personal history and battlefield judgment. His grief over a friend lost to political scheming explains his wary outlook; despite his initial uncertainty, he trusts Qin’s assessment and moves to rally the loyal forces.
• Qian Yong is exposed as a calculating traitor. He manipulates Sect Master Chen’s trust to weaken Zizai Gate’s defenses and intends to exploit the massacre for his own escape.
• Sect Master Chen and the elders fight desperately to defend the gate, but they are quickly overwhelmed by stronger Demons.
• Hu Yan, Foyun, and Jiao Yu’er reveal tensions among the attackers: Hu Yan asserts dominance, Foyun resents being ordered around, and Jiao Yu’er watches their dispute with amusement before joining the assault.

Significant themes

• Betrayal and political power struggles: Qian Yong’s treachery echoes Yang’s earlier warning about the cost of factional conflict.
• Trust and judgment under pressure: Qin’s observations expose the false story, while Yang must decide whether to trust him.
• Survival and ruthless pragmatism: Both sides act according to immediate advantage—Qin seeks opportunity in danger, while the Demons view cultivators as prey and nourishment.
• Unequal power and sacrifice: The defenders choose to fight rather than flee, even as the Demons’ overwhelming strength makes victory unlikely.

Plot points and events

• The Zizai Gate is on the verge of destruction when Jiao Yu’er and a large force of demons attack. Sect Master Chen and the elders prepare to fight despite being badly outmatched.
• Qin An arrives and immediately kills one Meridian Condensation Realm False God. Though surrounded by nine remaining elite demons, he refuses help and reveals that his cultivation has reached Great Accomplishment, not the lesser stage they assumed.
• Using his speed, deep foundation, layered defenses, and the Ice Flame Blood Transformation Blade, Qin An kills the weaker demons first, then defeats the three powerful opponents: Foyun, Hu Yan, and Jiao Yu’er. He kills Jiao Yu’er after she begs for mercy.
• Qin An orders Sect Master Chen and the Zizai Gate disciples to prevent the remaining lower-ranked demons from escaping, then plunges into their ranks to continue the slaughter.
• Yang Qing arrives with a hundred Prefecture Officers, expecting to join the battle. Instead, he finds Qin An alone amid the corpses, calmly cleaning his bloodied blade.

Character developments

• Qin An is revealed as far stronger than his enemies—and even his allies—realize. His confidence is backed by formidable skill and a powerful foundation; he remains composed and methodical throughout the battle.
• Sect Master Chen and the Zizai Gate’s disciples move from despair to astonishment and renewed resolve after Qin An turns the tide.
• Jiao Yu’er shifts from vengeful arrogance to fear and desperation when she recognizes Qin An’s strength.
• Yang Qing’s urgency reflects his deep loyalty to Qin An and his grief over a former friend who shared Qin An’s devotion to fighting demons.

Significant themes

• Overwhelming strength and hidden capability: Qin An’s apparent disadvantage conceals a foundation that lets him defeat even elite foes.
• Revenge and the cost of vengeance: The demons seek retribution for past losses, but their vendettas lead to their deaths.
• Despair transformed into hope: Qin An’s arrival reverses the Zizai Gate’s seemingly inevitable defeat.
• Violence as grim spectacle: The chapter emphasizes both the awe-inspiring power and the brutality of Qin An’s victory.

Character interactions

• Qin An dismisses Sect Master Chen and the elders’ offer of help, choosing to face the strongest demons himself.
• He questions Jiao Yu’er and the others about their connections and motives, then announces that he will settle accounts with every faction targeting him.
• Sect Master Chen and the disciples follow Qin An’s order to contain the surviving demons.
• Yang Qing rushes to rescue Qin An out of friendship, but arrives after the battle is over.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An single-handedly defeats the demonic attackers at Zizai Gate, leaving Yang Qing and the other officers stunned.
• Qian Yong, who had secretly colluded with demons, tries to disguise his absence and invoke due process. Qin An kills him before he can exploit his connections to escape punishment.
• Qin An argues that Qian Yong’s subordinates can provide evidence. Yang Qing detains more than a hundred of them, and one eventually confesses, establishing Qian Yong’s guilt.
• Qin An counts his gains: after the battle and a trade with Zizai Gate, he has the equivalent of thirty Demon Crystals, plus hundreds of demon cores. He plans to keep gathering resources, advance his professions, and eventually reach the Outer Core Realm before confronting Flood Dragon Hall and Mount Xiaoyao.
• While the Hunter Cultivation Tournament continues, Qin An and Yang Qing wait at Zizai Gate. With about three days remaining, an urgent message arrives: the tournament has taken an unexpected turn, and they must go to Cangnan Mountain.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An demonstrates overwhelming combat strength and a blunt, decisive approach to suspected treachery. He also shows consideration toward Yang Qing by describing their success as mutual help, though Yang Qing knows he benefited far more from Qin An.
• Yang Qing moves from shock at Qin An’s abilities to trusting him and handling the arrests. He recognizes the danger of Qian Yong’s political connections but accepts Qin An’s reasoning about gathering evidence from the subordinates.
• Qian Yong reveals his self-serving nature through his false account, attempted appeal to procedure, and plans to use his connections to eliminate Qin An.
• Sect Master Chen and Zizai Gate’s disciples are cowed by Qin An’s power and comply readily with his requests.

Significant themes

• Power versus political influence: Qian Yong expects connections and procedure to shield him, but Qin An’s decisive action prevents him from escaping.
• Justice and evidence: Killing Qian Yong averts an immediate threat, while testimony from his subordinates supplies the proof needed to establish his crimes.
• Strength, ambition, and preparation: Qin An treats victory as only one step toward a larger goal, carefully accumulating resources and planning his cultivation.
• Cooperation and respect: Yang Qing benefits from Qin An’s strength, while Qin An’s modest framing preserves their partnership’s dignity.

Key plot points and events

• After completing the mission at Mount Zizai, Qin An and Yang Qing are summoned to Cangnan Mountain on orders from Silver Prefecture General Zhou Yuanfeng.
• Zhou explains that Zhu Lie, a powerful Pig Demon, has broken the Hunter Cultivation Tournament’s tacit rules. He has gathered surviving Demons, attacked numerous sects, and taken a member of the Alchemist Alliance hostage.
• The Evil Extermination Division surrounds the mountain and gives Zhu Lie three days to release the hostage and surrender. The Division will not let the hostage be used to dictate its actions: if Zhu Lie refuses, his forces will be destroyed, even if the hostage dies.
• When the deadline passes and the tournament ends, Zhu Lie rejects surrender and vows to fight to the death. Zhou orders a full assault.
• Qin An, Yang Qing, and the Division’s forces charge uphill. They meet a vast Demon army led by twelve Outer Core Demons, including Zhu Lie, a gigantic, heavily armed Pig Demon.

Character developments

• Qin An remains composed and practical. He asks direct questions to understand the situation, accepts the Division’s uncompromising stance, and joins the assault without hesitation.
• Zhou Yuanfeng shows a rare consideration for Qin An by explaining the mission and checking on his previous assignment. His position remains firm: he offers Zhu Lie a chance to live, but will not let a hostage threat compromise the Division.
• Yang Qing continues to serve alongside Qin An, gathering information and leading their officers into position.
• Zhu Lie is revealed as both calculating and vengeful: he has used a hostage to seek leverage, but ultimately chooses open battle, blaming the Division for destroying his clan.

Significant themes

• Duty versus personal cost: The Evil Extermination Division prioritizes its mission over the hostage’s safety, accepting that the hostage may die.
• Rules and consequences: The tournament’s unwritten balance allows conflict within limits; Zhu Lie’s excessive attacks on sects make him a target.
• Power and respect: The Alchemist Alliance has influence, but its standing does not override the Division’s authority or principles.
• The calm before violence: The prolonged siege and tense three-day wait culminate in an all-out battle.

Character interactions

• Zhou briefs Qin An privately, balancing command with a measure of concern for his subordinate.
• Qin An challenges Zhou on why the mountain is not stormed immediately and what will happen to the hostage, prompting a clear explanation of the Division’s strategy.
• Zhou and the other Silver Prefecture Generals jointly enforce the siege and later agree to eliminate Zhu Lie’s forces.
• Zhu Lie’s defiant speech turns the standoff into open warfare, bringing Qin An and Yang Qing into the battle alongside the Division’s forces.

Key plot points

• The battle at Cangnan Mountain erupts into a massive clash between the Evil Extermination Division and Zhu Lie’s demon horde. The Outer Core Realm fighters separate from the main armies to fight elsewhere.
• Qin An and Yang Qing battle among the Bronze Prefecture Generals. Yang Qing initially revels in showing his strength, but Qin An’s effortless killing of powerful demons quickly puts their difference in perspective. Qin An slays nearly twenty Meridian Condensation Realm demons and collects a large haul of Demon Crystals.
• Zhou Yuanfeng suspects Zhu Lie is pursuing a hidden scheme. When Zhu Lie denies it, Zhou stops holding back, kills him, and orders the Silver Prefecture Generals to finish the remaining Outer Core demons. The Silver Generals defeat them, though their Secret Arts leave many exhausted or injured.
• Zhou leads the surviving Silver Generals to Cangnan Mountain’s summit, where a dangerous battle is still underway. The Bronze Generals finish off the demons below, then head uphill to support their superiors; Qin An follows.
• At the summit, the group finds a wounded, spear-wielding man in pale purple guarding a strange, pulsing Orb. Zhou suspects the man used poison pills to control the demons. The man reveals he has been waiting for the Hunter Cultivation Conference and believes refining the Orb will create a “true Outer Core” that will make everyone in Xunyang Prefecture stronger.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An proves himself an exceptionally ruthless and capable fighter, drawing the attention and respect of other Bronze Generals. He remains focused on gaining Demon Crystals and strengthening himself, even as he recognizes that the demon attack conceals a larger plot.
• Yang Qing regains confidence when fighting without Qin An beside him, but Qin An’s extraordinary performance reminds him not to measure himself against a rare talent.
• Zhou Yuanfeng shifts from cautious combat to decisive action after identifying Zhu Lie’s deception. His victory demonstrates the power of his Supreme True Elixir, while his warning prompts the other Silver Generals to unleash their full strength.
• Zhu Lie tries to conceal his scheme but is overwhelmed and killed by Zhou.
• The Bronze Generals, impressed by Qin An, consider investigating his background and building ties with him. After their own battle ends, they choose to support the Silver Generals, and Qin joins them.

Significant themes

• Talent and comparison: Yang Qing’s frustration gives way to acceptance that Qin An’s abilities are exceptional.
• Ambition and advancement: Qin An treats the battle as an opportunity to gather resources and grow stronger.
• Loyalty and duty: The Bronze Generals climb the mountain to aid their superiors after completing their own task.
• Hidden schemes beneath open conflict: Zhou’s suspicions prove justified, and the climactic revelation suggests the demon assault was part of a larger plan involving the Orb and the conference.

Key plot points and events

• The Silver Prefecture Generals identify the Alchemist’s scheme: he is a Poison Pill Master who has been building a False Core from cultivators’ flesh and blood. The core can rival a Supreme True Elixir and has let him control powerful Demons and exploit the Hunter Cultivation Assembly’s expected deaths.
• The Poison Pill Master refuses to surrender and uses the False Core to boost his strength and heal his wounds, briefly matching the combined force of ten Silver Prefecture Generals.
• Zhou Yuanfeng realizes the False Core depends on tendrils connecting it to its user. The Generals target and sever them, damaging the core and leaving the Poison Pill Master unable to draw on its power.
• The Master pretends he will detonate the damaged core, forcing the others to retreat. He uses their caution to escape with it.
• Qin An also disappears, having pursued the fugitive. A Bronze Prefecture General reveals that Qin had predicted the Master’s apparent suicide threat was a bluff: a man who clings to life would not truly choose mutual destruction. Zhou Yuanfeng orders a pursuit, worried for Qin.
• Wounded and cut off from the core’s restorative power, the Poison Pill Master races down a mountain path, vowing revenge. A surge of Blood and Qi Power suddenly approaches from behind.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Yuanfeng shows tactical insight by identifying the core’s weakness, but the Master’s deception briefly fools even him. He comes to recognize Qin’s judgment as well as his strength.
• Qin An is tempted by the False Core’s immense power and impressed by the Outer Core Realm, which sharpens his ambition to advance. He then acts independently, anticipating the fugitive’s bluff and pursuing him alone.
• The Poison Pill Master is exposed as a ruthless schemer, but his grand claims that his work would benefit Xunyang Prefecture give way to desperation and hatred once his core is damaged.
• Yang Qing notices Qin’s sudden absence, while the Silver General with twin hooks voices concern that Qin may be in danger. The Generals work together first to disable the core, then to pursue the escapee.

Significant themes

• Power and its cost: The False Core grants extraordinary strength and regeneration, but depends on stolen lives and has a vulnerable link to its user.
• Deception and judgment: The Master survives by exploiting the Generals’ concern for their subordinates; Qin sees through the threat by judging the fugitive’s fear of death.
• Duty and protection: The Evil Extermination Division rejects the idea that victims from minor factions matter less, affirming its responsibility to protect everyone in the prefecture.
• Ambition and restraint: Qin’s desire for greater power grows, but the chapter also highlights the danger of pursuing strength through corrupt means.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An pursues the gravely wounded Poison Pill Master, hoping to claim the pill hidden inside his False Core. He repeatedly attacks with a Blood-and-Qi Secret Art, burning Demon Crystals to slow the master’s escape and keep him from reaching safety.
• The Poison Pill Master initially shrugs off Qin An’s blows, but Qin An has deliberately concealed his recovery and the extent of his strength. Once his opponent lowers his guard, Qin An unleashes the maximum power of his technique: ten Demon Crystals at once. The strike breaks the master’s spear and fatally wounds him; Qin An then beheads him.
• Qin An takes the pill from the False Core. Despite the energy spent in the fight, it contains the equivalent of ninety Demon Crystals, bringing his total reserves to 110 and advancing his goal of forming a Supreme True Elixir.
• Zhou Yuanfeng and the other generals arrive after the killing. Qin An says the victory cost him dearly, though his healthy appearance makes Zhou skeptical. Zhou prevents a Silver Prefecture General from pressing for a share of the False Core and advises Qin An to keep it concealed.
• Back at the Evil Extermination Division, Zhou speaks privately with Qin An and asks whether he would agree not to join the Mountain Patrol Generals.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An proves himself patient and calculating: he studies the Poison Pill Master’s limits, feigns exhaustion, and saves his strongest attack for the right moment. He is also ruthless, refusing the master’s offer to make more False Cores and killing him because he perceives him as a future threat. His composure impresses the assembled generals.
• The Poison Pill Master shifts from contempt and confidence to fear and pleading when Qin An’s concealed strength overwhelms him.
• Zhou Yuanfeng moves from concern for a subordinate to clear respect for Qin An. He shields Qin An’s claim to the False Core, though the reason for his final request remains unclear.
• The other generals recognize Qin An’s achievement; some envy his prize, while the Silver Prefecture General with twin hooks briefly appears ready to challenge his claim.

Significant themes

• Strategy over brute force: Qin An wins by controlling the timing and appearance of his strength, not by matching his opponent head-on.
• Power and its cost: Qin An spends Demon Crystals to overcome a stronger enemy, while the False Core’s immense energy offers a major reward.
• Trust, danger, and ambition: Qin An’s mistrust of a hostile gaze shapes his decision to kill, and his growing power brings both recognition and political complications.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Yuanfeng privately urges Qin An not to become a Mountain Patrol General, but refuses to explain why. Qin An leaves the decision open, saying it will depend on circumstances.
• After Qin An departs, Zhao Wuhuan reveals he has been listening. Zhou describes Qin An’s remarkable feats: defeating ten Meridian Condensation demons at the Hunter Cultivation Conference and killing the Poison Pill Master at Cangnan Mountain.
• Zhao is impressed and sees Qin An as a rare talent suited to the Mountain Patrol Generals. Zhou objects: he once held that same post, but an irreparable injury on a mission halted his advancement at the Outer Core Realm. Fearing Qin An might suffer the same fate, Zhou wants him to remain a Prefecture General and avoid the post’s dangers.
• Zhou asks Zhao to help persuade Qin An, but Zhao insists Qin An must choose his own path. Their disagreement escalates; Zhou loses his temper and orders Zhao to leave.
• Several days later, Xunyang Prefecture enters a lull after the conference. Qin An focuses on training, though Bronze Prefecture Generals repeatedly visit to cultivate ties with him. He eventually closes his doors to visitors.
• His Butcher proficiency reaches level ten, prompting the appearance of a new system message.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains independent and focused on improving himself. He neither commits to nor rejects the Mountain Patrol position, and avoids being drawn into the division’s political networking.
• Zhou Yuanfeng is revealed as protective of Qin An because of his own painful experience as a Mountain Patrol General. His concern turns into anger when Zhao refuses to interfere, suggesting the old injury still weighs heavily on him.
• Zhao Wuhuan respects Zhou but stands firm on personal choice. Though he recognizes the risks of patrol duty, he argues that Qin An has earned the right to decide his own future.
• The conversation exposes a clash between Zhou’s protective caution and Zhao’s belief in Qin An’s agency.

Significant themes

• Risk and ambition: The Mountain Patrol role offers danger as well as opportunity.
• Personal choice: Even well-intentioned mentors should not dictate another person’s path.
• The cost of service: Zhou’s injury illustrates the lasting price of fighting for the division.
• Fame and political entanglement: Qin An’s growing reputation draws attention, but he prefers training and distance from power struggles.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An’s Butcher Profession reaches Level 10, raising his blade-related talents to Great Completion in the Meridian Condensation Realm.
• He studies the Mad Extreme Blade Technique, which his talent immediately brings to Great Completion. He then spends eight Demon Crystals and burns substantial blood and vitality to merge it with the Ice Flame Blood Transformation Blade, creating the Three Absolute Blood Transformation Blade. The new technique channels water, fire, and wind True Qi and retains the ability to drain an opponent’s blood and vitality.
• Qin An recognizes that he still needs a blade technique compatible with metal-attribute True Qi. For now, though, he prioritizes raising his Blacksmith Talent and saving Demon Crystals, since his cultivation advances are costing more than he can afford.
• He resolves to become strong enough to survive the dangers of Xunyang Prefecture, reach the Outer Core Realm with a Supreme True Elixir, and eventually surpass the prefecture’s powers.
• At the Flood Dragon Hall, Long Yuan grieves for his murdered daughter and vows to kill Qin An after the Hunter Cultivation Tournament, when the rules allow him to act.
• At Mount Xiaoyao, Fox Consort learns of Qin An’s role in the deaths of Hu Yan and Fox Mother. She orders her followers to keep Fox Qing from causing trouble, promises revenge after the tournament, and orders them to find more powerful human cultivators.
• Medicine King Sun reports that Qin An’s Tenfold Pill Fusion Method produced potent pills that healed a powerful but unnamed figure. The figure agrees to meet Qin An and reward him after recovering, though Qin An has not yet fully attracted his attention.
• The next morning, Qin An eats breakfast before heading toward a blacksmith shop. A familiar person approaches him, setting up the next encounter.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An’s growing confidence is matched by practical caution: he recognizes the strength of his new blade technique but also the costs of further deductions and the threats gathering around him.
• Long Yuan’s grief and anger are restrained by the Flood Dragon Hall’s hierarchy and tournament rules. A subordinate warns him of the consequences of acting recklessly; Long Yuan rebukes the warning but accepts the delay.
• Fox Consort displays a composed, cruel manner, casually decorating a severed head before consuming it. She directs the Fox Demon’s actions while making clear that Qin An is now a target.
• Medicine King Sun praises Qin An to the unnamed figure and hopes the meeting will benefit him, while recognizing that Qin An has not yet earned the figure’s full interest.

Significant themes

• Power through talent and sacrifice: Qin An’s extraordinary abilities accelerate his progress, but merging techniques still demands blood, vitality, and resources.
• The cost of advancement: Demon Crystals are becoming a serious constraint, forcing Qin An to balance ambition with careful planning.
• Growing danger and delayed revenge: Several factions intend to retaliate, but the Hunter Cultivation Tournament temporarily limits when they can act.
• Ambition and survival: Qin An sees relentless cultivation as necessary not only to gain power but to secure a place in a hostile political landscape.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• An elder from the Xuantian Formation Sect invites Qin An to its banquet, both to thank him for his role in Ling Prefecture and to introduce him to the gathered powers. Qin agrees, hoping the sect’s connections might be useful in navigating Xunyang Prefecture’s political landscape.
• Before attending, Qin visits a blacksmith shop and practices his craft. His Blacksmith Profession reaches level 9, improving the quality and strength of his forged items while reducing material costs.
• At the banquet, guests notice Qin’s low-ranking Bronze Prefecture General title and Meridian Condensation Realm cultivation. Unfamiliar with his name, they assume he is an insignificant substitute for a superior and treat him dismissively.
• Qin observes the guests’ shifting manners—deference, flattery, and coldness depending on status and advantage—and concludes that social connections are less valuable than personal strength. He resolves to decline future banquets and focus on cultivation.
• Sect Master Gao Lingyu arrives and warmly greets Qin as an equal. Her attention reveals his importance to the other guests, particularly those who had belittled him. She then publicly introduces him as a prodigy in martial arts, formations, the Pill Dao, and the Medical Dao.

Character developments

• Qin An considers engaging with Xunyang Prefecture’s powerful factions, but the banquet confirms his belief that strength matters more than status or networking. He chooses to focus on improving himself instead.
• Gao Lingyu demonstrates both respect for Qin and awareness of her responsibilities as sect leader. Once she realizes the guests have slighted him, she acknowledges the poor welcome and publicly restores his standing.
• The guests reveal their status-consciousness: they judge Qin by his title and apparent cultivation, then reassess him when Gao Lingyu recognizes his accomplishments.

Significant themes

• Strength versus social status: Qin believes real influence comes from ability, not rank or connections.
• Politics and opportunism: The banquet’s conversations expose a world where respect depends on power and mutual benefit.
• Reputation and recognition: Qin’s achievements are overlooked until someone influential names them publicly.
• Self-reliance: Rather than chase acceptance, Qin decides to build strength and make his own place in the world.

Character interactions

• The sect elder respectfully invites Qin, who accepts after weighing the potential value of meeting local factions.
• Banquet guests question Qin and then exclude him after deciding he is unimportant; a disciple who knows his reputation silently regrets their misjudgment.
• Gao Lingyu’s warm exchange with Qin contrasts sharply with the guests’ earlier contempt. Her introduction forces them to reconsider him and exposes their mistaken assumptions.

Key plot points and events

• At Gao Lingyu’s banquet, she publicly praises Qin An’s talent and standing as a Bronze Prefecture General. The guests, who had previously dismissed or offended him, regret their behavior and try to reconsider their position, but Qin An remains aloof.
• After the banquet, Gao Lingyu asks Qin An to stay for an important private discussion. She takes him to the Xuantian Formation Sect’s hidden treasury, protected by an elaborate key and powerful Formations.
• Qin An reads the sect’s history and learns that Gao Lingyu’s branch split from the Tiandu Formation Sect after a dispute over authority: the Tiandu sect’s combat-focused branch expected the Formation specialists to remain subordinate.
• The Tiandu Formation Sect has now challenged Gao Lingyu’s sect to a Formation contest. It has a gifted disciple who combines both branches’ methods. The stakes are the Xuantian sect’s most powerful Secret Art: victory would secure the sect’s freedom and what it is owed; defeat would force it to surrender the art.
• Gao Lingyu presents Qin An with a promised reward and asks him to consider helping, but the chapter ends before he responds.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An stays composed and indifferent to the banquet’s social maneuvering. He is observant, quickly recognizes the treasury’s protections and the political stakes, and asks direct questions rather than indulging in ceremony.
• Gao Lingyu uses Qin An’s public introduction to raise his reputation, then privately trusts him with sensitive information. Her confident hospitality gives way to visible concern as she explains her sect’s crisis.
• The banquet guests shift from condescension to regret and deference once they understand Qin An’s potential. Their attempted overtures come too late, leaving them awkwardly distant from him.
• Gao and Qin’s exchange is cordial but practical: she praises his insight and offers compensation, while he seeks the purpose of her request.

Significant themes

• Strength and power: Gao and Qin agree that influence ultimately rests on strength; the Xuantian sect’s past vulnerability stemmed from being unable to defend its autonomy.
• Reputation and missed opportunities: Gao’s praise changes how the guests see Qin, but their earlier disrespect cannot easily be undone.
• Trust and responsibility: By bringing Qin into the treasury and revealing the sect’s history, Gao shows the seriousness of her appeal—and the trust she is placing in him.
• Competing paths to power: The conflict between Formation craft and combat-oriented cultivation reflects the clash between cooperation and domination.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Gao Lingyu offers Qin An two Demon Cores in exchange for helping the Xuantian Formation Sect survive an upcoming contest with the Tiandu Formation Sect. The wager will begin in one month, and the formations involved are limited to the Meridian Condensation Realm.
• Qin An accepts. The Demon Cores bring him closer to condensing his Supreme True Elixir, while the contest’s limits make victory seem achievable if he can raise his Formation Master profession to level ten in time.
• In the following days, Qin An keeps a low profile, splitting his time between the Blacksmith Shop and the Evil Extermination Division.
• He reaches Blacksmith level ten, improving his forging talents. He reforges his Cold Star Blade, giving it greater spiritual power and a closer bond with him.
• With just over twenty days left before the wager, Qin An sets aside other professions to focus on becoming a stronger Formation Master.
• He exchanges mission rewards for eight Demon Crystals and begins studying the Green Snake Demon clan’s barehanded technique, Green Snake Strangulation. His talent brings the technique to Great Completion immediately, but he then tries to merge it with his Blood Burning Eight Brocade Dragon Demon Hand.
• The initial attempt fails. Qin An burns his blood and qi and consumes all eight Demon Crystals to pursue the insight needed to combine the techniques; the chapter ends as understanding finally dawns.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An shows practical judgment and confidence: he accepts Gao Lingyu’s offer after confirming the contest’s limits, then prioritizes the skills most relevant to his goals. His new blacksmithing ability also deepens his connection to Cold Star.
• Gao Lingyu demonstrates resolve and faith in Qin An, staking valuable sect resources on him despite an elder’s concerns. She believes he will soon outgrow his current rank.
• The elder questions whether Qin An is dependable and worries that his dangerous work as a Bronze Prefecture General could cost him his life. Gao Lingyu’s firm reassurance ends the disagreement.
• The blacksmith-shop owner admires Qin An’s talent and regrets that he will stop coming, while Qin An leaves without engaging much in the praise.

Significant themes

• Trust and risk: Gao Lingyu chooses to trust Qin An and commit the sect’s scarce resources, while the elder voices the dangers of that choice.
• Relentless self-improvement: Qin An continually turns time, training, materials, and even dangerous costs into ways to strengthen himself.
• Power and preparation: The approaching wager drives Qin An to focus his development, while the upgraded Cold Star and the attempted martial-arts fusion show his efforts to prepare for stronger opponents.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An’s two unarmed techniques fuse into a new method, Eight-Forged Dragon Demon Kill, which reaches Great Completion in the Meridian Condensation Realm. Its improved striking and strangling power means he could now kill the badly wounded Poison Pill Master with far fewer Demon Crystals.
• Qin An reflects that he still may not match a true Outer Core expert, but resolves to keep building his strength and pursue the Supreme True Elixir. He believes his survival in the brutal Evil Extermination Division depends on relying on himself.
• The next morning, Medicine King Sun invites Qin An to meet the important figure whose injury Qin An helped treat. At a newly built residence guarded by Silver Prefecture Generals, Qin An is allowed to keep his blade and is brought in alone.
• The concealed figure thanks Qin An and acknowledges that Qin helped Medicine King Sun partly to secure assistance with the Yang Pill crisis. Qin An confirms this, explaining that he acted as a precaution.
• Asked why he continually hunts demons and evil, Qin An answers bluntly: to survive. The figure admires his candor and composure, then gives him two Demon Cores as the first reward, saying they will help him forge the Supreme True Elixir. The figure hints at a second benefit and asks whether Qin An has guessed their identity.

Character developments

• Qin An grows stronger through the fused technique and remains focused on solidifying his foundation rather than rushing cultivation. He is pragmatic, composed under pressure, and honest about his motives.
• Medicine King Sun acts as intermediary and advocate for Qin An, assuring the guards that Qin saved the figure’s life and poses no threat.
• The hidden figure emerges as perceptive, powerful, and unusually dismissive of formalities. They recognize Qin An’s survival-driven pragmatism and reward him, while keeping their identity concealed.

Significant themes

• Strength and survival: In a world where the weak are prey, power is essential to Qin An’s continued existence.
• Self-reliance and steady cultivation: Qin An sees the Supreme True Elixir as a foundation he cannot afford to compromise.
• Pragmatism over idealism: Qin An rejects noble-sounding explanations for his actions and speaks plainly about survival.
• Composure and character: The hidden figure values Qin An’s calm temperament even above his talent.

Character interactions

• Medicine King Sun guides Qin An to the residence and vouches for him when guards demand his weapon.
• Qin An calmly refuses to surrender his blade; the hidden figure backs him, ordering that he be allowed inside armed.
• In private, Qin An and the figure speak frankly about his past and motives. The figure responds with respect, rewards him with Demon Cores, and leaves the meeting on a cliffhanger by asking whether Qin An knows who they are.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An correctly deduces that the veiled figure is Cui Fengyu, an injured Mountain Patrol Golden General of the Evil Extermination Division.
• Cui offers Qin An two possible benefits: becoming his Personal Follower General and eventual disciple, or—if Qin An reaches the Outer Core Realm within three months—a recommendation to enter the Ancient Battlefield Ruins, an ancient war zone said to help cultivators pursue a Supreme Foundation.
• Qin An rejects the safer career path, saying connections cannot protect him from demons. Confident that his unusual cultivation speed and resources will let him meet the deadline, he chooses the ruins.
• Cui accepts his choice and tells Medicine King Sun to help Qin An where possible. Having recovered, Cui leaves Xunyang Prefecture to resume his duties.
• Several days later, Qin An reaches Formation Master Level Nine, gaining faster formation setup and breaking, reduced material use, perfected Returning Treasury Realm talents, and a new talent that strengthens his formations. He sees this as an advantage in his coming wager with the Xuantian Formation Sect and plans to reach Level Ten. A late-night knock interrupts him.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An shows independence, ambition, and confidence in his own abilities. He refuses to rely on Cui’s status or patronage, prioritizing strength and opportunity over security.
• Cui Fengyu is impressed by Qin An’s unconventional decision and potential. He offers practical support through Medicine King Sun while maintaining the limits imposed by the division’s rules.
• Medicine King Sun respects Qin An’s privacy, recognizes how rapidly he is growing stronger, and is surprised by Cui’s high regard for him.

Significant themes

• Self-reliance over patronage: Qin An values personal strength above rank, connections, or protection.
• Ambition and risk: He chooses a difficult, uncertain opportunity because it offers greater potential.
• Practice and systematic growth: Qin An credits proficiency—not innate talent—for his progress, and continues improving through disciplined work.
• Power and responsibility: Cui’s support is generous but constrained by the Evil Extermination Division’s rules and the duty to fight evil.

Plot points and events

• Qin An is summoned late at night by Zhou Yuanfeng to investigate a stolen shipment of pills from the Alchemist Alliance. The shipment was last seen near West Sea Village, and evidence points to a Poison Pill Master heading toward the Thunder Fire Sect.
• Zhou assigns Qin An and two other Bronze Prefecture Generals, Chu Xing and Zhao Nian, to inspect the sect, with instructions to return if they find nothing.
• In private, Zhou reveals that the Alchemist Alliance is offering three Demon Cores as a reward—one for each general. Qin An accepts, since he needs Demon Cores to advance his cultivation.
• Zhou explains that an old injury has permanently blocked his own advancement. Seeing Qin An’s potential, he urges him to choose the safer path of remaining a Prefecture General rather than becoming a Mountain Patrol General. Qin An leaves that decision open.
• At the Thunder Fire Sect, sect master Liu Cheng is secretly sheltering the wounded Poison Pill Master Fang Hu, who stole the pills and plans to deliver them to the Flood Dragon Hall. Fang Hu has threatened Liu Cheng into helping him recover and hide.
• When Liu Cheng learns the generals are approaching, Fang Hu recognizes Qin An as the man wanted by both Mount Xiaoyao and the Flood Dragon Hall.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains pragmatic and ambitious, accepting the mission for the Demon Core while recognizing Zhou’s personal concern. He responds respectfully but does not surrender his right to choose his future.
• Zhou Yuanfeng reveals his own injury and regret, showing both sympathy for Qin An and fear that a dangerous career will cost him his life. Their relationship is marked by mutual respect.
• Chu Xing and Zhao Nian introduce themselves and seek Qin An’s friendship, apparently because of his connection to Zhou. The three set off together.
• Liu Cheng is frightened and compromised, obeying Fang Hu because he fears the consequences of refusing him.
• Fang Hu is injured but still domineering. His plan to hide at the sect and transfer the pills to the Flood Dragon Hall is threatened by Qin An’s arrival.

Significant themes

• Ambition versus safety: Qin An must weigh advancement and dangerous service against the security Zhou recommends.
• Loyalty and gratitude: Qin An remembers Zhou’s kindness and answers it with consideration, even while preserving his independence.
• Power and coercion: Fang Hu controls Liu Cheng through threats, while political favor also shapes how the generals approach Qin An.
• A looming confrontation: The mission’s investigation is about to become personal, as Fang Hu recognizes Qin An and the stolen pills connect to powerful factions.

Plot and key events

• Fang Hu, a wounded Poison Pill Master, learns that Qin An and more than a hundred Evil Extermination Division officers are heading for the Thunder Fire Sect. He wants revenge because Qin An killed a Poison Pill Master, and he hopes to profit by handing Qin An’s head to Mount Xiaoyao and Flood Dragon Hall.
• Thunder Fire Sect leader Liu Cheng worries that the visiting force is too strong to confront openly. He has kept the sect alive by trafficking poor people to Demons and False Gods as food, and sees Fang Hu’s plan as a chance to win favor with a powerful Demon faction.
• Fang Hu reveals the Three Corpses God Pill, a poison that kills Jade Bone Realm cultivators who smell it, severely weakens those in the Returning Treasury Realm, and can also impair stronger cultivators. He proposes hiding it near the visitors’ quarters and masking its scent with herbs. Liu Cheng takes the pill and agrees to help.
• Qin An, Chu Xing, Zhao Nian, and their officers arrive at the Thunder Fire Sect. They find its remote location and apparent prosperity suspicious, and force their way past the gate guards without allowing the sect time to prepare.
• Liu Cheng greets them and denies knowing anything about the Poison Pill Master. Chu Xing and Zhao Nian request separate rooms for the three leaders, but Qin An unexpectedly says they will share one. The others are surprised, leaving the chapter on a note of tension.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Hu is revealed as calculating and vengeful, but his injuries make him reluctant to face Qin An directly. He relies instead on the poison’s broad effects.
• Liu Cheng is exposed as ruthless and opportunistic: he sacrifices ordinary people to maintain his sect and readily joins Fang Hu’s scheme for personal and political gain.
• Qin An, Chu Xing, and Zhao Nian approach the sect with suspicion. Zhao Nian uses intimidation to keep the guards from alerting their superiors; Chu Xing is eager to investigate the sect; Qin An remains controlled and observant, even noticing something about Liu Cheng that he does not reveal.
• The contrast between the sect leaders’ secret hospitality and the visitors’ vigilance creates a quiet contest of deception. Qin An’s decision to have all three leaders share a room may undermine the poisoning plan.

Significant themes

• Corruption and survival: Liu Cheng preserves his sect through the exploitation of the powerless.
• Deception and suspicion: Both sides conceal their intentions, and seemingly ordinary acts—lodging arrangements, greetings, and hospitality—may hide danger.
• Power and opportunism: Fang Hu and Liu Cheng seek alliances with stronger forces, treating revenge and human lives as means to advance their position.

Plot points and events

• Prefecture Generals Qin An, Chu Xing, and Zhao Nian agree to share a secluded building at Thunder Fire Sect, presenting themselves as close friends to conceal their suspicions.
• After their host, Sect Master Liu Cheng, leaves, he reveals his plan with Poison Pill Master Fang Hu: the building is being slowly poisoned with the Three Corpses God Pill. They intend to kill the investigators after two days, then give Qin An’s head to demons from Flood Dragon Hall in exchange for a reward.
• Qin An detects the poison’s faint herbal scent and identifies both the pill and its source: a hidden supply near the building’s corridor, using ventilation to expose the occupants while sparing the Sect’s disciples.
• Rather than attack immediately, Qin An proposes turning the trap against its makers. He gives Chu Xing a list of common herbs that, prepared as directed, will protect the officers from the poison. Chu Xing quietly sends an officer to collect them.
• To avoid alerting the Sect, Qin An and Zhao Nian remain in the building while Chu Xing leads a visible search. The following day, Qin An heads alone to the main hall, rebukes a disciple who follows him, and then abruptly enters the Back Courtyard. Liu Cheng rushes after him in alarm.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An emerges as perceptive and strategically patient. His knowledge of alchemy and medicine surprises his companions, and he uses both his expertise and their opponents’ expectations to maintain the cover story.
• Chu Xing is cautious and trusting of Qin An’s judgment. He restrains Zhao Nian from acting rashly, then accepts the secret herb-gathering mission.
• Zhao Nian initially wants to attack the Sect immediately, but accepts Qin An’s plan. His eagerness to help reflects his fiery temperament and loyalty.
• Liu Cheng maintains a courteous host’s façade while plotting murder. Qin An’s unpredictable behavior unsettles him.
• Fang Hu warns Liu Cheng that Qin An is dangerous and directs him to keep his own identity concealed by posing as a servant.
• Qin An’s companions move from initial curiosity about his plan to strong admiration for his abilities.

Significant themes

• Deception and counter-deception: The investigators conceal their suspicions while the Sect conceals its poison plot; Qin An turns the apparent trap into an advantage.
• Knowledge as power: Qin An’s expertise in medicine and alchemy is as crucial as his combat ability.
• Patience versus impulsiveness: Zhao Nian favors immediate force, while Qin An argues for waiting to expose and confront the Poison Pill Master.
• Trust and teamwork: Chu Xing and Zhao Nian rely on Qin An’s judgment and coordinate their roles to avoid tipping off the enemy.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An searches the Thunder Fire Sect for the Poison Pill Master, Fang Hu. In the Back Courtyard, he detects a Bewildering Soul Formation covering an island and suspects the stolen Alchemist Alliance pills are hidden there.
• To avoid provoking Fang Hu and risking the pills’ destruction, Qin An leaves the island unsearched and lets the sect believe the danger has passed.
• Liu Cheng returns to the island, where Fang Hu emerges from his servant disguise. They plan to attack the Evil Extermination Division that night.
• The Thunder Fire Sect surrounds Qin An and his companions with more than two hundred disciples. The Division’s officers meet them in battle, and the sect’s forces quickly suffer heavy losses.
• Fang Hu realizes the officers were not poisoned by the Three Corpses God Pill. Qin An confronts him and kills him, cutting off his hands and impaling him through the skull.
• Liu Cheng’s lightning-and-fire attack fails to penetrate Qin An’s defenses. He tries to flee, but Qin An kills him with a blade strike to the neck and orders that no one be left alive.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains controlled and strategic: he reads Liu Cheng’s anxiety, identifies the Formation, and delays searching the island to protect the pills. Once the attack begins, he reveals that the poisoning failed and proves overwhelmingly powerful.
• Liu Cheng moves from anxious host to openly hostile conspirator. His confidence collapses when the battle turns against the sect, and he is killed while trying to escape.
• Fang Hu shifts from concealed fugitive to boastful attacker. His confidence in his pills and numbers proves misplaced; he dies at Qin An’s hands.
• Chu Xing and Zhao Nian prepare eagerly for battle and fight two Thunder Fire Sect elders, gaining the upper hand with their Secret Arts. Chu Xing offers to help Qin An, though Qin An defeats Fang Hu before he can.
• The Thunder Fire Sect disciples fight in the hope of securing their survival, but their numbers cannot overcome the Evil Extermination Division’s stronger, better-prepared officers.

Significant themes

• Strategy over appearances: Qin An’s apparent retreat is deliberate, while Liu Cheng mistakes caution for carelessness.
• False confidence and miscalculation: The sect trusts its numbers and poisoning plan, but both fail against the Division’s strength and Qin An’s insight.
• Betrayal and consequences: The sect’s alliance with demonic forces and its attempt to ambush the Division lead to its destruction.
• Merciless justice: Qin An’s final command makes clear that the conflict has moved beyond negotiation to total eradication.