Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Qin An reaches Butcher Level 17, bringing all his Unity Realm blade-related talents to perfection. He has gathered 25 Demon Spirits through missions and pill-refining work for the Dragon Palace.
• He learns the Crosswise Blade Qi Art, which gives him the ranged attacks he lacked. His talent lets him master it quickly, but his first attempt to merge it with the Nine-Turn Heartless Blood-Transforming Blade fails.
• Qin An burns Vital Blood and spends ten Demon Spirits to force a breakthrough. He successfully fuses the arts into the Nine-Turn Heartless Crosswise Blade, which combines varied Void Essence, blood-transforming power, merciless blade forms, and ranged blade qi.
• Still short of Merits and a method for improving unarmed combat, Qin An plans to take a mission from the Evil Extermination Division. He postpones investigating the Black Market and rests after completing the Dragon Palace’s pill order.
• The next morning, a First Cloud Sect disciple, Wu Rang, asks to borrow the Spirit Cloud Sword. Qin An agrees in exchange for five Demon Spirits and information.
• Wu Rang reveals that the Dragon Palace has leaked knowledge of Qin An’s Fusion Alchemy Method. The Alchemist Alliance now knows of it and appears to be preparing a response. Qin An dismisses Wu Rang, visibly wary and angered.

Character developments

• Qin An continues to develop through relentless training and strategic use of his talents. He fills a major combat gap by gaining ranged attacks, though the forced fusion costs him substantial Vital Blood and Demon Spirits.
• He remains pragmatic about resources and favors clear exchanges: he will lend the sword, but expects compensation.
• The news about the leaked alchemy method shifts him from routine planning to suspicion and alertness; he recognizes that his work may have made him a target.

Character interactions

• Qin An deals with a Circuit Clerk, who introduces Wu Rang and then withdraws at Qin An’s instruction.
• Wu Rang explains the First Cloud Sect’s request and offers payment. Their exchange is cautious: Qin An questions the Sect’s motives, while Wu Rang admits he does not know why the Sect Master wants the sword.
• Qin An’s threatening Killing Intent makes Wu Rang tremble when he identifies the Dragon Palace as the source of the leak.

Significant themes

• Progress through sacrifice: Qin An’s breakthrough requires burning Vital Blood and spending scarce resources.
• Pragmatism and reciprocity: He treats the sword loan as a transaction rather than a favor.
• Power brings exposure: Qin An’s valuable alchemy technique has become known beyond his control, raising the prospect of political and professional danger.

Plot and events

• In the Evil Extermination Division courtyard, Qin An retrieves the Spirit Cloud Sword from Wu Rang and demands the five Demon Spirits owed to him. His intimidating killing intent leaves Wu Rang too frightened to argue.
• Qin An suspects that someone among the Dragon Palace’s eight princes leaked information about him. He decides to keep his dealings with the Dragon Palace strictly commercial, avoid its succession struggle, and focus on becoming stronger.
• He accepts a new mission to investigate strange black water coming from fish caught near Wandering Village. The fish remain alive, but villagers who eat them die; the local authorities have ordered the catch buried, damaging the village’s livelihood.
• At the village, Qin An introduces himself as a Bronze Dao Marshal and questions village chief Yang Wenyuan. Finding no discrepancies between the chief’s account and the mission report, he asks Zhao Tiezhu to guide him to the fishing grounds.
• At the Wandering Sea, Qin An senses faint, cold Killing Intent rising from the water. The chapter ends as he studies the sea, suspecting the contamination is connected to that force.

Character development and interactions

• Qin An demonstrates controlled menace in his encounter with Wu Rang, then remains practical and focused: he seeks missions and Merits to advance his cultivation, while keeping clear of political entanglements.
• Wu Rang, frightened by Qin An’s reputation and killing intent, promptly returns the sword and Demon Spirits and leaves.
• Zhao Tiezhu is anxious about the strange fish and initially awed by Qin An. He cooperates by bringing Qin An to the village chief and then to the shore.
• Village chief Yang is worried about the village’s plight but hopeful that Qin An can resolve it; he gives a straightforward account and arranges an escort to the fishing grounds.

Significant themes

• Power and intimidation: Qin An’s presence shapes how others behave, from Wu Rang’s submission to the villagers’ deference.
• Pragmatism and independence: Qin An prioritizes cultivation and paid work over involvement in the Dragon Palace’s dangerous succession politics.
• Ordinary people harmed by the supernatural: The unexplained fish contamination threatens the villagers’ food supply and livelihood.
• Investigation through evidence: Qin An checks the villagers’ account against the mission report and follows the clues to the sea, where he identifies a likely link to Killing Intent.

Plot points and events

• Qin An confirms that a demon is hiding in the Wandering Sea and that it is likely responsible for the polluted water and dying fish. Since fighting underwater would put him at a disadvantage, he sends Zhao Tiezhu back to safety and returns to the Evil Extermination Division to seek help.
• At the Dragon Palace’s shop, Qin An interrupts a confrontation between Dragon Palace representatives and two members of the Alchemist Alliance. The Alliance is angry because the Dragon Palace and its allies have stopped buying from it, apparently preferring Qin An’s pills.
• Qin An rebuffs the Alliance members’ accusations. Wang Shufeng, the Alliance’s Great Elder, calmly questions whether Qin An’s alchemy work will harm his reputation, but Qin An makes clear he does not care. Wang leaves without escalating the argument.
• The Dragon Demon warns Qin An that Pill King Zhang Tianyi may become a threat because of his influence. Qin An sets that concern aside and asks for help with the sea demon.
• The Dragon Demon identifies the culprit as Catfish Spirit, whose cultivation method pollutes the water and drains the essence, qi, and spirit of people who eat affected fish. The Wandering Sea lies outside the Dragon Palace’s jurisdiction, however, and is under the influence of the more powerful Seven-Color Fish Sect.
• Rather than risk a direct Dragon Palace intervention, the Dragon Demon proposes asking Long Tianxing for help. Qin An agrees, and the Dragon Demon promises to summon him within three days. Qin An returns to the division to practice blacksmithing while he waits.
• Meanwhile, Wang Shufeng returns to the Alchemist Alliance, where Zhang Tianyi is furious over the loss of business. The Alliance Master promises to investigate and compensate him. Wang arrives as their discussion continues.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An is pragmatic and decisive: he protects Zhao Tiezhu, refuses to be intimidated by the Alchemist Alliance, and focuses on finding a workable solution to the sea demon problem.
• The Dragon Demon tries to win Qin An’s favor, warns him about Zhang Tianyi, and demonstrates the political limits of the Dragon Palace’s authority.
• Wang Shufeng is composed and tactful, contrasting with his angry companion. His exchange with Qin An suggests the Alliance will consider its next move rather than act impulsively.
• Zhang Tianyi emerges as a powerful, volatile opponent, while the Alliance Master attempts to placate him.

Significant themes

• Power and jurisdiction: Even powerful groups cannot freely act beyond their territories, forcing Qin An to seek an indirect solution.
• Pragmatism over pride: Qin An prioritizes solving the immediate danger over reputation or political maneuvering.
• Commercial rivalry: Qin An’s success in supplying pills disrupts the Alchemist Alliance and creates a growing conflict.
• Cooperation and influence: The Dragon Palace’s relationships—and Long Tianxing’s personal connections—may accomplish what official intervention cannot.

Plot points and events

• At the Alchemist Alliance, Wang Shufeng reports that Qin An blocked the Alliance’s attempt to negotiate with the Dragon Palace. Qin An said the matter was only a transaction: the Alliance could win the business by offering better terms, but he would not interfere.
• Pill King Zhang Tianyi refuses to lower the price of his Compound Pills, arguing that it would damage his reputation and force the Alliance to cut prices for everyone. The Alliance Master agrees that this would hurt the Alliance’s earnings.
• Zhang Tianyi proposes using his contacts in the Evil Extermination Division against Qin An, but the Alliance Master advises against it. He instead shares a different plan, which pleases Zhang Tianyi; they decide to try it.
• Three days later, Qin An leaves a blacksmith’s shop with slightly improved proficiency. At the Division, he meets Long Tianxing, who has been injured after being pressured—and struck by Ninth Highness Long Jiu—for assisting the Third Dragon Princess.
• On the ride to the Wandering Sea, Long Tianxing explains that he returned to Skycloud Circuit to restore his diminished collateral branch and fulfill his late father’s wishes. He plans to support the Third Dragon Princess’s bid to become Dragon Crown Prince, hoping her success will help his family recover its standing.
• At the sea, Long Tianxing warns Qin An that the Catfish Spirit belongs to the powerful, ruthless Seven-Color Fish Sect, whose leader may retaliate. Qin An accepts the risk for the Merits he needs and accepts Long Tianxing’s five-colored Dragon Scale, which lets him move through water. They prepare to enter the sea.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains practical and undeterred by threats, prioritizing Merits and his long-term cultivation goals. He respects Long Tianxing’s decision without trying to talk him out of it.
• Long Tianxing reveals the personal grief and ambition behind his return: he wants to honor his father and reclaim his family branch’s former importance. Though wounded, he treats the danger as worthwhile and supports Qin An.
• The Alliance Master and Zhang Tianyi cooperate despite tension over authority and the pill pricing. The Alliance Master restrains Zhang Tianyi’s impulse to target Qin An directly and offers an alternative strategy.
• Qin An listens as Long Tianxing explains his past, then accepts his warning and assistance. Their growing trust is shown through Long Tianxing’s offer of the Dragon Scale and Qin An’s willingness to proceed with him.

Significant themes

• Ambition and legacy: Long Tianxing risks renewed hardship to preserve his family’s history and fulfill his father’s dying wish.
• Pragmatism and risk: Qin An accepts danger as the cost of pursuing his goals, while the Alliance weighs profit, reputation, and political consequences.
• Loyalty and power: Support for the Third Dragon Princess—and the Alliance’s maneuvering against Qin An—shows how personal ties and political influence shape choices.
• Agency: Both Qin An and Long Tianxing understand the dangers but choose their own paths rather than retreating.

Plot and key events

• Qin An and Long Tianxing descend into the Wandering Sea, protected respectively by a Dragon Scale barrier and Long Tianxing’s natural ability as a True Dragon.
• They fight through numerous fish demons and reach the entrance to an underwater cavern.
• Inside the cavern, the Catfish King meets with Elder Cheng of the Hidden Moon Pavilion. Their arrangement involves laundering the Catfish King’s stolen goods through the Black Market in exchange for treasures.
• The Catfish King gives Elder Cheng Blood Essence Beads made from villagers who died after eating tainted black fish. He plans to target other villages after the local authorities warn people away.
• A wounded fish demon reports that a Bronze Dao Marshal from the Evil Extermination Division and a Dragon Demon are approaching: Qin An and Long Tianxing.
• Fearing exposure, Elder Cheng initially considers fleeing. The Catfish King points out that the Pavilion will also be implicated if their dealings are revealed, and persuades him to fight.
• They agree to mobilize the fish demons and use the Sky-Devouring Wave Formation to trap and kill the intruders. The chapter ends with Qin An and Long Tianxing arriving at the cavern.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An adapts quickly to the Dragon Scale’s protection and fights alongside Long Tianxing, while dryly noting that the scale is single-use.
• Long Tianxing guides Qin An through the sea and reacts with exasperation to his unexpected observations.
• The Catfish King is revealed as ruthless and calculating: he profits from villagers’ deaths and uses the threat of mutual exposure to force Elder Cheng into battle.
• Elder Cheng shifts from cautious self-preservation to cooperation, realizing that abandoning the Catfish King could expose the Hidden Moon Pavilion’s role in the Black Market scheme.
• The Catfish King and Elder Cheng maintain a superficially cordial drinking-and-business relationship, but their alliance is ultimately driven by shared self-interest and fear.

Significant themes

• Corruption and complicity: The Pavilion’s respectable trade network enables the Catfish King’s crimes.
• Exploitation of the powerless: Villagers are treated as expendable sources of profit.
• Self-preservation and coercion: Elder Cheng’s decision to fight comes from fear of exposure, not loyalty.
• Escalating danger: Qin An and Long Tianxing are approaching a coordinated ambush, setting up the coming confrontation.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An and Long Tianxing follow the trail of killing intent into an underwater cavern and discover the Catfish King’s palace, confirming it as the source of attacks on Wandering Village.
• Long Tianxing senses the Catfish King inside the largest palace. Though warned that the demon may have been alerted, Qin An presses on, reasoning that the Catfish King has chosen to stay and fight.
• In the palace, they find the Catfish King, dozens of Unity Realm fish demons, and Elder Cheng of the Hidden Moon Pavilion. Qin An recognizes the group’s Sky-Devouring Wave Formation.
• Elder Cheng urges the two to leave, but Qin An refuses: he must complete his mission and holds that every life matters, including the villagers the Catfish King dismisses as “worthless.”
• Qin An attacks. The Catfish King uses the formation to hurl a wall of water at him, then reveals a racial secret art: slippery catfish mucus deflects incoming attacks, repeatedly knocking Qin An’s saber off course.
• Long Tianxing charges the Catfish King in True Dragon form, but Elder Cheng intercepts him. Elder Cheng manifests a full-moon image, setting up a separate confrontation as the chapter ends.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An is decisive and mission-focused, but his resolve is also grounded in a strong moral conviction: no life is expendable. His confidence shows as he recognizes the formation and attacks without hesitation, though the Catfish King’s unusual defense frustrates him.
• Long Tianxing acts as Qin An’s cautious ally, warning him about the escaped fish demon and locating the Catfish King. Despite sensing the danger of the formation, he commits to the fight and takes on the Catfish King before Elder Cheng blocks him.
• The Catfish King is arrogant and confident in his underwater advantage, threatening the intruders and belittling the villagers. His secret art gives him a powerful defensive edge.
• Elder Cheng is ashamed to be discovered collaborating with demons, yet tries to persuade Qin An to withdraw rather than fight. He ultimately stands against Long Tianxing.

Significant themes

• The value of ordinary lives: Qin An rejects the Catfish King’s distinction between “worthy” and “worthless” people.
• Duty and resolve: Qin An’s mission, and his commitment to finish it, drive him into a dangerous battle.
• Human–demon collaboration and shame: Elder Cheng’s presence reveals the Hidden Moon Pavilion’s cooperation with demons and the stigma attached to it.
• Preparation and unexpected obstacles: Qin An’s knowledge of the formation helps him understand the enemy, but the Catfish King’s secret art complicates his attacks and shifts the battle into a more uncertain contest.

Key plot points and events

• Elder Cheng confronts Long Tianxing, using the Hidden Moon Pavilion’s moonlight void essence to overwhelm and injure him.
• Cheng admits he plans to kill everyone and conceal his collusion with the Catfish King.
• Long reveals that Qin An is the greater threat. Qin is dominating the Catfish King with ranged blade energy, exposing the limits of the demon’s mucus defense.
• Cheng abandons the fight with Long and urges the Catfish King to join him against Qin. Qin reveals he had been testing his technique and unleashes the Three-Blade Fusion, killing the Catfish King and capturing his demon spirit.
• Cheng activates the Hidden Moon Pavilion’s supreme art, Blood Moon Descent, sacrificing years of his life. He kills the Unity Realm fish demons to empower the moonlight, then attacks Qin with blood-moon essence that threatens both body and soul.
• Qin counters by using a jade stone to summon a phantom wielding a black blade, revealing that he can use the Three-Blade Fusion again.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An shifts from testing his opponent to decisive combat, demonstrating a powerful technique and an apparent means of repeating it. His calm confidence unsettles Cheng.
• Long Tianxing is badly hurt by Cheng but remains defiant and warns Qin about the danger of Blood Moon Descent. He recognizes Qin’s strength and tries to reach his side.
• Elder Cheng is exposed as deceitful and ruthless: he feigns moral concern, admits he intends to silence witnesses, and sacrifices his own subordinates to gain power. His confidence falters after Qin kills the Catfish King.
• The Catfish King struggles against Qin’s ranged attacks, then is killed when Qin’s fused blade energy breaks his weapon and pierces his chest.
• Cheng and the Catfish King briefly unite against Qin, while Long attempts to support Qin; the alliance ends with the Catfish King’s death.

Significant themes

• Deception and hypocrisy: Cheng presents himself as principled while plotting murder and concealment.
• Power and adaptability: Qin’s skill and ability to repeat his signature technique overturn the enemies’ expectations.
• Sacrifice and survival: Cheng willingly shortens his life and sacrifices his own forces in a desperate bid to survive.
• Loyalty and trust: Long’s concern for Qin contrasts with Cheng’s betrayal and the enemies’ opportunistic alliance.

Key events

• Qin An’s Phantom Image survives Elder Cheng’s claim that he destroyed it, reforms, and overwhelms him with repeated Three-Blade Fusion attacks.
• Badly wounded, Elder Cheng begs for his life and threatens Qin An with retaliation from the Hidden Moon Pavilion. Qin An argues the Pavilion Master is unlikely to act, since the Pavilion’s collusion with Demons has already been exposed.
• Elder Cheng offers Qin An a share of his Black Market profits, but Qin An kills him. He then collects the Demon Souls scattered through the palace.
• Long Tianxing plans to hide at the Dragon Palace to avoid retaliation from the Seven-Color Fish Sect. He warns Qin An to stay away from the sea and other waters, which the Sect’s leader controls.
• Qin An and Long Tianxing part ways: Long returns to the Dragon Palace, while Qin heads back to the Evil Extermination Division to continue training.
• At the Seven-Color Fish Sect’s underwater palace, the Sect Master orders her followers to obtain resources through the Black Market. A subordinate then learns that the Catfish Spirit serving as a contact there has been killed, and the Sect reacts with anger.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains composed under pressure, relying on the Replication Jade’s recurring Phantom Image to defeat Elder Cheng. He rejects bribery and treats the killing as a practical necessity.
• Elder Cheng’s earlier arrogance collapses into terror and desperate pleading, revealing how strongly he clings to the power and wealth he has gained.
• Long Tianxing respects Qin An’s judgment and contrasts Elder Cheng’s cowardice with the resolve of the fallen Evil Extermination Division members he remembers from Xunyang Prefecture.
• The Seven-Color Fish Sect’s response to the Catfish Spirit’s death sets up a likely new threat for Qin An.

Significant themes

• Courage versus fear: Strength and status do not guarantee bravery; the weaker may face death with greater dignity.
• Power and accountability: Elder Cheng’s ties to the Hidden Moon Pavilion cannot protect him once its dealings with Demons are exposed.
• Retaliation and consequences: Long’s warning and the Sect’s anger foreshadow further conflict beyond the battle.

Plot points and events

• The Seven-Color Fish Sect learns that the Catfish Demon has been killed. Its Sect Master orders the Demons to identify the culprit and punish them, then leaves to oversee the sect’s base at the Ancient Battlefield Ruins.
• Several days later, Qin An returns to the Evil Extermination Division and spends his remaining Merits on Demon Spirits and a Bare-Hand Cultivation Method.
• His long period of forging practice pays off: his Blacksmith Profession reaches Level Seventeen, bringing all its talents to Unity Realm Perfection.
• Qin studies Earth Vein Hand, which draws power from the Earth Veins beneath the ground. By combining his formation knowledge with the technique, he can gather Earth Vein Power more effectively.
• His attempt to merge Earth Vein Hand with his Nine-Turn Blood-Burning Demon-Sealing Hand initially fails. By burning large amounts of Blood Essence and Vital Blood, he gains the insight needed to create the Nine-Turn Blood-Burning Earth Vein Demon-Sealing Hand.
• Qin recognizes that the new technique is exceptionally powerful but costly, and resolves to reserve it for emergencies. He consumes the remaining Demon Spirits and plans which professions and combat abilities to improve next.
• He wants to learn how to establish a Peerless Foundation, a key step toward the Essence Transformation Realm. Unable to find an explanation in the archives, he goes to seek advice from Zhu Xueshuang. The chapter ends as she notices someone arriving.

Character developments

• Qin An shows patience and discipline through sustained, repetitive training, then quickly applies his skills and knowledge to create a stronger fighting method. He remains practical about its cost and carefully plans his advancement.
• Zhu Xueshuang is presented as reserved and relentlessly diligent, using nearly every available moment to cultivate.
• The Seven-Color Fish Sect’s Sect Master emerges as calm but ruthless: she treats the Catfish Demon’s death as a threat to the sect’s authority.

Character interactions

• The Sect Master’s display of pressure silences the assembled Demons. A Fish Demon apologizes for losing his composure, then accepts responsibility for investigating the killing; the others agree to help.
• Qin’s key interactions are with his cultivation system and techniques: he experiments with Earth Vein Hand, fails to fuse it with his existing method at first, and succeeds only by sacrificing vital resources.
• Qin seeks out Zhu Xueshuang for guidance, setting up a conversation that has not yet begun when the chapter ends.

Significant themes

• Progress through endurance: Qin’s advancement comes from sustained effort, even when training becomes monotonous.
• Knowledge as leverage: His formation expertise lets him use Earth Vein Hand more effectively than the method alone would allow.
• Power and sacrifice: Qin’s strongest new technique depends on burning precious Blood Essence and Vital Blood, making strength costly.
• Conflict and reputation: The Sect Master’s response shows how violence threatens not only individuals but also a faction’s standing in a world of competing powers.

Chapter summary

• Qin An visits Zhu Xueshuang to ask how to forge a Peerless Foundation in the Essence Transformation Realm. She explains that the realm is reached by compressing gaseous Void Essence into liquid form, and that adding at least three stalks of Mystic Void Grass during this process produces a Peerless Foundation.
• Mystic Void Grass is extraordinarily rare: it grows unpredictably, the Evil Extermination Division has none left, and any held by sects, demons, or False Gods would be kept secret. Qin An decides to pursue the opportunity if one arises, while focusing on strengthening himself in the meantime.
• Zhu Xueshuang warns him that the Black Market mission is becoming urgent. Qin An agrees to take it after roughly three days of rest.
• Qin An reforges his saber, Cold Star, and his Soft Armor. Both become Shattered Void Realm artifacts, greatly increasing his combat power and defense.
• He heads toward the Physician Hall to advance his Physician Profession and prepare to refine a protective cultivation method. On the way, the Dragon Demon urgently stops him, saying the matter concerns the Alchemist Alliance; the chapter ends before he explains further.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An’s determination is reinforced: despite the difficulty and Zhu Xueshuang’s warning, he remains committed to pursuing a Peerless Foundation, consistent with his history of overcoming difficult trials.
• Zhu Xueshuang shows unusual curiosity and respect for Qin An’s achievements. She recognizes his stubborn resolve and gives him practical information rather than trying to dissuade him.
• Their conversation is direct and professional: Qin An asks precise questions, and Zhu Xueshuang answers before raising the urgent Black Market assignment.
• The Dragon Demon’s anxious interruption introduces a new, unresolved complication involving the Alchemist Alliance.

Significant themes

• Ambition and perseverance: Qin An continues pursuing exceptional advancement even when success depends on rare resources and chance.
• Preparation and incremental growth: Unable to secure Mystic Void Grass immediately, he focuses on strengthening his equipment and professional skills.
• Scarcity and uncertainty: The grass’s unpredictable appearance makes the Peerless Foundation difficult to plan for, while the approaching Black Market mission adds pressure.

Chapter Summary: “Obtaining Mystic Void Grass”

Key plot points and events

• The Dragon Demon tells Qin An that the Alchemist Alliance is spreading rumors that Qin An’s Compound Pills contain a hidden poison that could kill consumers years later. The claims have made some demon factions reconsider their ties with the Dragon Palace.
• Qin An refuses to address the problem for free. He points out that his agreement is only to supply the Dragon Palace with Pills; repairing its political standing is not his responsibility.
• The Dragon Demon reveals a deal proposed by the Third Dragon Princess: she offers Qin An a stalk of Mystic Void Grass in exchange for his help. Qin An recognizes its value because three stalks are needed to forge a Peerless Foundation in the Shattered Void Realm.
• The princess’s offer is also political. With the selection of the Dragon Crown Prince approaching, she wants Qin An as a dependable ally. Qin An accepts the Grass and agrees to the alliance.
• Qin An advises the Dragon Palace to have the Third Dragon Princess gather the demon factions and publicly consume enough Compound Pills to demonstrate that they are safe. The display could discredit the rumor and strengthen her reputation as a candidate for Dragon Crown Prince.
• Before leaving, Qin An warns the Dragon Demon to monitor the Alchemist Alliance, saying he will crush them if they target him again.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains practical and commercially minded: he will not spend effort on the Dragon Palace’s problem without compensation, but readily accepts a valuable resource and political partnership. He also turns the crisis into an opportunity for the Third Dragon Princess.
• The Dragon Demon is deferential toward Qin An and initially hopes to keep the offered Grass by getting free advice. When that fails, he presents the deal and is impressed by Qin An’s solution, though he privately envies him for receiving the Grass.
• The Third Dragon Princess does not appear directly, but her offer reveals her anxiety about the coming succession decision and her willingness to secure Qin An’s support. Qin An accepts her proposed alliance.
• Qin An and the Dragon Demon’s relationship is shaped by their unequal leverage: the Dragon Demon needs Qin An’s Pills and expertise, while Qin An insists on defining the terms of cooperation.

Significant themes

• Rumor and public trust: The chapter contrasts reasoned judgment with widespread fear, suggesting that direct, visible proof may be more persuasive than argument.
• Transactional alliances: Political cooperation is built through clear exchanges of resources, expertise, and loyalty.
• Ambition and reputation: The crisis offers the Third Dragon Princess a chance to demonstrate courage and improve her standing in the succession.
• Power and leverage: Qin An’s value comes not only from strength but from his rare alchemical ability and the influence it gives him.

Key plot points and events

• After leaving the Dragon Demon’s shop, Qin An visits the Hundred Physicians Hall, a modest clinic near the Evil Extermination Division. He asks its proprietor for permission to treat patients there, offering to cover his own expenses.
• The proprietor agrees, but Qin An soon discovers that the calm old man is Wu Yunfeng, a Gold Circuit Marshal. Li Moyun also arrives and recognizes Qin An.
• Wu Yunfeng tests Qin An’s medical knowledge with silver needles used on patients. Qin An correctly identifies treatments for cold, heat, and poison, then recognizes that another needle carries more than ten thousand diseases. He says he could treat about half of them.
• Impressed, Wu Yunfeng invites Qin An on a mission planned for roughly a month later. It will earn Merits and may yield Mystic Void Grass from Myriad Cloud Poison Peak. Qin An accepts in principle and is told to consult the Confidential Archives for details.

Character developments

• Qin An shows a genuine interest in medicine and demonstrates unexpectedly strong skill, surprising both Li Moyun and Wu Yunfeng. He weighs the opportunity carefully, considering how it fits his training and future rewards.
• Wu Yunfeng proves observant and discerning: he judges Qin An by his conduct as well as his knowledge, and sees potential in him as a physician for a mission.
• Li Moyun shifts from dismissing Qin An’s medical interest as a passing fancy to recognizing his deeper abilities. His concern about Qin An offending Wu Yunfeng also hints at his political priorities.

Significant themes

• Hidden ability and underestimated talent: Qin An’s medical expertise surprises people who know him mainly by rank or martial reputation.
• Service and ambition: Qin An’s wish to treat patients is set alongside the practical benefits of missions, Merits, and rare treasures.
• Power and political ties: Qin An is wary of being drawn into wider maneuvering, while Li Moyun appears to be cultivating connections for the prince.

Character interactions

• Qin An approaches the clinic respectfully and negotiates directly with its proprietor.
• Li Moyun urges Qin An to leave before he offends Wu Yunfeng, but later encourages him to take the test once Wu Yunfeng explains the opportunity.
• Wu Yunfeng challenges Qin An with medical evidence, then offers him a place on the upcoming mission after seeing his ability.

Key plot points and events

• Wu Yunfeng offers Qin An a mission involving Mystic Void Grass. Qin An accepts: he needs three stalks to forge a Peerless Foundation in the Shattered Void Realm and still needs two.
• Li Moyun tries to persuade Wu Yunfeng to take a side in the Skycloud Circuit’s growing political conflict. Wu Yunfeng remains reluctant, but agrees to reconsider after returning from Myriad Poison Cloud Peak.
• Qin An stays at the Hundred Physicians Hall to treat patients. He rapidly cures an overworked commoner with acupuncture and Nine-Colored Void Essence, astonishing both the resident physician and Wu Yunfeng.
• Impressed, Wu Yunfeng offers to make Qin An his disciple and teach him medicine. Qin An declines, saying his ambitions lie elsewhere; Wu Yunfeng accepts his choice without pressure.
• After three days of medical practice, Qin An returns to the Evil Extermination Division and joins more than a hundred Bronze Dao Marshals assembled by Zhu Xueshuang.
• Zhu announces a mission to investigate the Black Market: the Marshals must go undercover as ordinary martial-world members and shut down any shop confirmed to be colluding with Demons.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains focused on advancing his cultivation, accepting the dangerous-sounding mission for the Mystic Void Grass. His medical ability proves exceptional, and three days of practice further improve his Physician proficiency, but he refuses to change his main path.
• Wu Yunfeng admires Qin An’s talent and seeks both his help and, later, the chance to mentor him. He is also wary of factional politics, though Li Moyun’s warning leaves him open to reconsidering.
• Li Moyun recognizes Qin An’s growing influence with Wu Yunfeng and sees their relationship as a possible way to win the marshal’s support.
• Zhu Xueshuang takes command of the Black Market operation, addressing her subordinates with strict authority and a clear mandate.

Significant themes

• Ambition and self-determination: Qin An pursues the highest possible foundation and chooses his own priorities, even when offered a prestigious apprenticeship.
• Talent, mentorship, and restraint: Wu Yunfeng values Qin An’s gifts but respects his refusal rather than forcing him into a role.
• Political neutrality under pressure: Wu Yunfeng’s reluctance to join a faction is challenged by Li Moyun’s warning that events may soon make neutrality untenable.
• Duty and accountability: The Black Market may contain many factions, but the Evil Extermination Division insists that suspected collusion with Demons carries consequences.

Key plot points and events

• Zhu Xueshuang orders the Bronze Dao Marshals to investigate the Black Market, warning that the Evil Extermination Division will stop holding back if the market continues crossing its limits.
• The Marshals disperse in small groups. Qin An, new to the Skycloud Circuit, is left alone until Zheng Rou asks him to team up.
• Zheng Rou says she knows the Black Market well from studying the Division’s Confidential Archives. Qin An agrees, valuing her knowledge.
• Disguised in ordinary clothes, Qin An and Zheng Rou enter Black Mountain Valley, where the Black Market operates. Their immediate goal is to identify shops cooperating with demons and False Gods; they are to prioritize investigation and delay fighting until the operation’s final stage.
• Qin An asks how Zheng Rou became a Bronze Dao Marshal despite her timid nature. She explains that she inherited her father’s mission: he died defending a village from demons and False Gods, standing at its entrance after killing many enemies, including two powerful demons.
• Zheng Rou trained to reach the Shattered Void Realm and earn a place in the Division so she could continue her father’s work. She identifies a nearby Thousand Illusions Gate shop as a possible lead because its recent transaction volume is unusually high. Qin An agrees to investigate it. The chapter ends just before they reach the shop, as an unexpected event occurs.

Character developments

• Qin An shows practical judgment by accepting Zheng Rou as a partner for her useful knowledge, while respecting her personal reasons for serving rather than pressing her to change.
• Zheng Rou is revealed as shy and inexperienced in the field, but determined. Her commitment comes from her father’s sacrifice, and she hopes to grow stronger through service.

Significant themes

• Duty and sacrifice: Zheng Rou’s father gave his life to protect ordinary people, and she seeks to carry on his legacy.
• Investigation before force: The Division’s plan emphasizes gathering evidence before launching a final assault.
• Personal resolve: Zheng Rou’s courage is not the absence of fear, but her choice to act despite it.

Character interactions

• Qin An and Zheng Rou form a cautious working alliance, with Qin An relying on her archival knowledge.
• Their conversation about Zheng Rou’s father brings her personal motivations to light. Qin An offers restrained concern, ultimately leaving her choice to her.
• Zheng Rou then guides Qin An toward the Thousand Illusions Gate as their first investigative lead.

Plot points

• Qin An and Zheng Rou follow a crowd to the Black Market’s Auction Pavilion, hoping the auction might reveal evidence about trade between humans, Demons, and False Gods.
• After receiving numbered Tokens and taking their seats, they hear host Hu Yan’er explain the bidding procedure and warn that the Black Market will not protect buyers from robbery once they leave.
• The auction begins. Its early lots include a Savage Bull Demon’s arm and a weapon supplied by the human faction’s Folding Pavilion.
• Qin An recognizes that the weapon was made with a large quantity of human blood, not merely demon blood. He tells Zheng Rou to record the Folding Pavilion as colluding with Demons.
• The final lot is revealed to be a captive Half-Demon woman. Hu Yan’er presents her as a valuable ingredient and opens bidding at five Demon Spirits.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains observant and investigative, treating the auction as an opportunity to gather evidence rather than simply shop. His blacksmithing expertise helps him identify the human blood used in the weapon.
• Zheng Rou supports the investigation by recording Qin An’s findings, though she cannot independently verify how he reached his conclusion.
• The pair discreetly avoid discussing their work with the Evil Extermination Division in the crowded hall.
• Hu Yan’er conducts the auction confidently and matter-of-factly, revealing the Black Market’s harsh, transactional attitude toward both safety and the Half-Demon.

Significant themes

• Corruption and exploitation: The Folding Pavilion’s weapon suggests humans may be sacrificing their own people to profit from demon-related trade.
• Prejudice and dehumanization: The Half-Demon is openly despised because of her parentage and reduced to a commodity, despite her evident anger and humanity.
• Moral ambiguity of the Black Market: Humans, Demons, and False Gods coexist under shared rules, but those rules facilitate trafficking and offer little protection beyond the market itself.
• Investigation through observation: Qin An uses seemingly ordinary auction lots to uncover evidence of hidden dealings.

Plot and events

• The Black Market auction’s final lot is a Half-Demon woman, a rare and powerful being prized by all three factions despite their contempt for Half-Demons. Qin An and Zheng Rou refuse to bid; Zheng Rou condemns the sale, while Qin notes that the Evil Extermination Division’s relatively tolerant stance cannot protect Half-Demons from other powers.
• A wealthy buyer wins the woman for twenty Demon Spirits. Auctioneer Hu Yan’er seals her Void Essence with a ring shackle and explains that the buyer can keep her subdued and exploit her.
• After the auction, Qin An and Zheng Rou visit the shops they suspect of betraying humanity. They compile a preliminary list and return to an inn to await their colleagues’ findings.
• Qin An later explores the Black Market alone. He discovers that the buyer has been killed, his building damaged, and the Half-Demon woman has escaped.
• Hu Yan’er arrives with Fox Clan women and orders a search to protect the Auction Pavilion’s reputation. Her people find signs that another Half-Demon helped with the rescue, so she orders the Black Market sealed.
• That night, the rescued woman meets with other Half-Demons. She reveals that she allowed herself to be captured to learn who was abducting and selling Half-Demons, and declares that their people will strike back.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains focused on his mission and avoids intervening in the auction or escape. He observes the aftermath, weighing whether the unrest might affect his work.
• Zheng Rou voices moral outrage at the Half-Demon’s sale, then cooperates with Qin An in investigating suspect shops.
• Hu Yan’er shifts from confident auctioneer to an alarmed, angry enforcer, concerned both with catching the culprits and preserving the Auction Pavilion’s standing.
• The Half-Demon woman is revealed to have deliberately let herself be captured as part of an investigation, transforming her from apparent victim into a purposeful leader of retaliation.

Significant themes

• Prejudice and exploitation: Half-Demons are hated as outsiders yet coveted as valuable commodities.
• Power versus protection: The Evil Extermination Division’s tolerance cannot overcome the broader interests and hostility of the factions.
• Deception and resistance: The woman’s apparent helplessness conceals a deliberate plan, and the oppressed group is preparing to fight back.
• Reputation and profit: Hu Yan’er’s response is driven partly by the Black Market’s need to maintain trust in its lucrative auction system.

Key plot points and events

• Zhao Ruyue, a Half-Demon commander, prepares the Half-Demon Alliance to strike the Black Market, which has been buying and selling Half-Demons for exploitation and slaughter. More than a hundred Alliance members have infiltrated the market.
• After killing a Cultivator who tried to assault her, Zhao learned how widespread the trade is and resolved to attack its source. She orders her allies to investigate unfamiliar newcomers and kill anyone who obstructs them.
• To evade Hu Yan’er of the Fox Clan, Zhao chooses an inn near the Auction Pavilion as a hiding place, counting on its powerful guests and her inherited Spirit Cat concealment skills to protect her.
• The next morning, Qin An and Zheng Rou eat breakfast before returning to their room. Qin’s calm advice about eating, sleeping, and maintaining one’s strength under pressure resonates with Zheng, who recalls how grief over her father’s death once left her unable to care for herself.
• At the inn, Qin senses danger and enters the room ready for a fight. Zhao ambushes him and Zheng, expecting to overpower them with her superior cultivation. Zheng’s ribbon attack is easily deflected, but Qin’s saber strike—empowered by Nine-Colored Void Essence and the force of Three-Blade Fusion—sends Zhao crashing to the floor.
• Qin holds his blade to Zhao’s neck and demands her name, origins, and purpose.

Character developments

• Zhao Ruyue is revealed as a ruthless but determined leader shaped by the persecution of Half-Demons. Her drive to dismantle the Black Market’s trade is personal and political, though her confidence leads her to underestimate Qin.
• Qin An remains composed under pressure and treats practical self-care as a way to endure difficult missions. His vigilance beneath that relaxed manner is clear when he anticipates Zhao’s ambush and swiftly defeats her.
• Zheng Rou is inexperienced but attentive and capable in a fight. Qin’s advice helps her begin to move beyond grief and learn to find steadiness in ordinary moments.

Significant themes

• Persecution and survival: Half-Demons face brutal exploitation, prompting Zhao and the Alliance to fight back.
• Resistance and moral urgency: Zhao believes ending the trade requires striking at both its buyers and sellers.
• Composure under pressure: Qin argues that eating, sleeping, and maintaining ordinary routines preserve the strength needed to face hardship.
• Underestimation and reversal: Zhao assumes cultivation rank guarantees victory, only to be overwhelmed by Qin’s abilities.

Character interactions

• Zhao commands the Alliance members, balancing authority with concern about secrecy and the risks of her plan.
• Qin’s conversation with Zheng turns a meal into a moment of mentorship; Zheng connects his advice to her own bereavement and begins to follow his example.
• Zhao’s attempted ambush pits her against both intruders, but Qin takes control of the encounter and interrogates her at swordpoint.

Plot points and events

• At an inn near the Auction Pavilion, Qin An stops Zhao Ruyue’s ambush and gravely wounds her, despite her being a powerful cultivator.
• He suspects her explanation—that she is hiding from Hu Yan’er—is incomplete because he senses nearby Half-Demons. Under threat, Zhao admits she leads a Half-Demon Alliance operation to destroy shops that hunt Half-Demons.
• Qin An spares her and proposes an alliance. He plans to target the Auction Pavilion, which he believes knowingly trades in Half-Demons and is too well-defended for the Alliance to attack alone.
• Zhao shares the Alliance’s list of targets, which largely overlaps with the Evil Extermination Division’s. Qin An agrees to shelter her while they coordinate.
• Hu Yan’er arrives with Fox Clan demons to search the inn. Zhao hides, and Qin An and Zheng Rou prepare to distract the searchers by pretending to be a married couple. The chapter ends as someone knocks and asks to inspect their room.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An is shown as decisive, intimidating, and pragmatic. He uses force to expose Zhao’s lie, then shifts quickly from execution to collaboration when her plan serves his mission.
• Zhao Ruyue moves from defiance and deception to fearful candor. Learning that Qin An belongs to the Evil Extermination Division gives her enough hope to disclose the Half-Demon Alliance’s plan.
• Zheng Rou respects Qin An’s judgment and initially recommends killing Zhao for safety. She becomes excited by the prospect of greater Merits, but grows shy when Qin An asks her to help maintain their cover.
• Qin An and Zhao establish a cautious working alliance; Qin An and Zheng Rou coordinate closely as Hu Yan’er’s search closes in.

Significant themes

• Trust across group boundaries: The Division’s relative tolerance of Half-Demons creates an opening for cooperation, but Zhao’s distrust reflects the difficulty of overcoming prejudice.
• Pragmatism and competing motives: The alliance is possible because both sides share enemies, while Qin An also sees it as a way to earn Merits.
• Secrecy and survival: Deception, intelligence networks, concealment, and improvisation drive the characters’ choices as danger approaches.

Plot points and events

• Qin An and Zheng Rou hide Zhao Ruyue in their room while Fox Clan guards search the Black Market for escaped Half-Demons.
• Qin An improvises a cover story, loudly berating Zheng Rou as his helpless wife. When the guards enter, he pretends to attack her; their disgust makes them leave without searching. Once the door closes, the staged violence ends, and Zhao Ruyue emerges from hiding.
• Qin An assigns Zhao Ruyue responsibility for striking the Black Market’s shops and collecting their Merits, while he and his allies will handle the Auction Pavilion. He threatens that the Half-Demons will not survive if they fail to meet his demands.
• At the Auction Pavilion, Hu Yan’er urges the leaders of the market’s human, Demon, and False God shops to increase their profits and take greater risks before the Black Market is exposed. She proposes deeper cooperation among the factions.
• Three days later, more than a hundred formidable figures gather in a secluded part of the Black Market, suggesting the operation is about to begin.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An shows quick improvisation and theatrical nerve, using a deliberately distasteful performance to protect Zhao Ruyue. His humor quickly gives way to cold, coercive command when assigning her a task.
• Zheng Rou is initially flustered and unsure how to play along, but understands Qin An’s cue and convincingly acts distressed.
• Zhao Ruyue is relieved to be safe, though unsettled by Qin An’s odd humor and intimidated by his threat. She agrees to lead the attack on the shops.
• Hu Yan’er appears calculating and ambitious: she prioritizes extracting as much profit as possible before the market’s inevitable discovery, despite the danger to its operators.
• The Fox Clan guards believe Qin An’s staged argument is genuine. Their sympathy for Zheng Rou—and reluctance to violate the Black Market’s rules—helps the ruse succeed. Hu Yan’er, meanwhile, pressures the market’s human, Demon, and False God representatives into supporting her plan.

Significant themes

• Deception and performance: Qin An turns a fabricated domestic quarrel into an effective disguise.
• Risk, greed, and survival: Hu Yan’er argues that the factions should exploit the Black Market while they still can, even if doing so increases the danger.
• Power and coercion: Qin An protects his allies through cunning but also controls them through threats.
• Unstable alliances: Humans, Demons, and False Gods cooperate for mutual gain, though their partnership is driven by self-interest and fear.

Plot points and events

• Qin An gathers the Half-Demons and several Bronze Dao Marshals, proposing a coordinated attack on the Black Market’s shops and the Auction Pavilion. He argues that extra support will make the dangerous operation—especially with Hu Yan’er involved—more likely to succeed.
• The group agrees to divide the work: Half-Demons and some marshals will raid the shops, while the rest target the Auction Pavilion. Shop Merits will be split evenly; Auction Pavilion Merits will be divided by contribution, with a portion set aside for those helping with the shops.
• Qin An’s plan includes intercepting Fox Women sent to reinforce the shops before the force converges on the Auction Pavilion. Zheng Rou improves the plan by suggesting they first send a false tip about Half-Demons, wasting the Fox Women’s time. The group approves and agrees to act that night.
• At the Auction Pavilion, Hu Yan’er believes the Half-Demons remain trapped in the Black Market. When an informant reports about a hundred at the Folding Pavilion, she sends a hundred Fox Women to help defend it. The informant is secretly working for Qin An and signals him that the diversion is underway.
• The coordinated assault begins: Half-Demons and black-clad allies attack more than a hundred shops across the Black Market. Hu Yan’er then learns that Evil Extermination Division members are involved in the raids, and realizes the situation is not what she expected.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An demonstrates that his apparent recklessness is supported by careful preparation. He prioritizes a reliable victory over keeping all the Merits for himself and earns the other marshals’ trust through a transparent division of rewards.
• Zheng Rou, initially nervous and uncomfortable among the Half-Demons and marshals, shows strategic insight by proposing the false lead that strengthens Qin An’s plan. Qin An openly praises her contribution.
• The Bronze Dao Marshals begin suspicious and concerned about losing Merits, but accept Qin An’s fair arrangement and participate as collaborators rather than merely sharing information.
• Hu Yan’er remains confident that her dragnet will catch the Half-Demons, then commits forces to the apparent threat at the Folding Pavilion. Her confidence is poised to be undermined by the coordinated raids.
• The Half-Demons and Evil Extermination Division members act together, turning Qin An’s planning into a large-scale, simultaneous attack.

Significant themes

• Strategy and deception: False information and a disguised informant let Qin An manipulate the enemy’s response.
• Cooperation and fair reward: Shared responsibility and a clear Merit system help unite people who might otherwise compete.
• Appearances versus reality: Qin An seems reckless but is cautious; Zheng Rou seems timid but is perceptive; and Hu Yan’er’s apparent control masks her vulnerability to the diversion.