Chapter Summaries

There are no chapter events or characters here to summarize. The text only notes that the update time was changed to 12:11 p.m. because updating in the middle of the night felt cursed.

The chapter is a brief announcement rather than a story scene: the scheduled midnight chapter release failed, and the update time has been changed to 8 a.m.

• Plot and events: A release was expected at midnight but did not happen; the update has been rescheduled.
• Characters: No characters or character development appear.
• Themes: Unreliable schedules and practical adjustment after a failure.
• Interactions: The narrator informs readers about the missed release and the new time.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Ye Lengshuang abandons her plan to use the Ghost Aversion Pill and joins Qin An in trying to capture Hu Qiao. Hu Qiao sees through the deception and attacks.
• Qin An arrives and opens with his powerful Ice Flame Three Absolutes sword technique, but Hu Qiao—an exceptionally advanced Jade Bone fighter—survives. She believes the technique is Qin An’s only trump card and attacks him.
• When Hu Qiao traps Qin An’s blade and strikes with her refined claws, Qin An counters with the Blood Burning Meridian Severing Hand, burning his own blood and qi to destroy her claws. He then shatters her other claw, tail, and legs, leaving her alive but helpless.
• Qin An and Ye Lengshuang return Hu Qiao to the Evil Extermination Division. In prison, Hu Qiao realizes she faces interrogation and torture.
• The Thousand-Faced Monkey appears in Hu Qiao’s cell and reveals that he used her as a means of getting into Ling Prefecture. He enters and takes over a guard’s body; Hu Qiao dies, and the compromised guard helps conceal what happened.
• Several days later, Qin An concludes that Hu Qiao’s suspicious death—and the death of a guard—point to a larger scheme by Fox Mother. He focuses on becoming stronger rather than pursuing clues the Division cannot uncover. His training has brought every profession he practices to level five, and he summons his status display.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An demonstrates that his combat ability extends far beyond his sword technique. He uses a costly but recoverable reserve of blood and qi rather than Blood Marrow, and defeats a much stronger opponent with calm, extreme brutality. He remains pragmatic, handing the prisoner over to the appropriate Division and prioritizing training.
• Ye Lengshuang moves from attempted deception to open cooperation with Qin An. Watching him incapacitate Hu Qiao leaves her awed and uneasy: she recognizes both his hidden potential and his ruthless composure.
• Hu Qiao goes from confident predator to defeated captive, then realizes she has also been used by Fox Mother and the Thousand-Faced Monkey. Her desperation for help is exploited, ending in her death.
• The Thousand-Faced Monkey emerges as a dangerous infiltrator, using Hu Qiao’s capture to enter the Division and seize a guard’s body.
• Qin An and Ye Lengshuang work together against Hu Qiao, but Qin An ultimately wins the fight alone. The prison guards’ conversation underscores the Division’s concern with keeping prisoners alive for questioning—and their fear of responsibility if one dies.

Significant themes

• Hidden power and underestimated talent: Qin An’s abilities exceed what Ye Lengshuang and Hu Qiao expect, while the Thousand-Faced Monkey’s tiny appearance conceals a major threat.
• Pragmatism and brutality: Qin An values survival and mission success over appearances, capturing Hu Qiao alive by crippling her.
• Manipulation and betrayal: Hu Qiao is not only defeated by Qin An but also used as a pawn by larger forces, including the Thousand-Faced Monkey; Fox Mother’s broader plot remains unresolved.
• Strength as preparation: Faced with a threat he cannot yet uncover, Qin An responds by continuing to train and improve.

Plot points and events

• Qin An’s Blacksmith, Physician, and Dancer professions all reach level five. With no Cultivation Method and only one piece of blood marrow, he still cannot use his professions to make deductions. He resolves to earn more Merits and blood marrow.
• With the Tiger Clan’s Secret Treasure opening in half a month, Yang Quanfeng briefs Qin An on the operation: Bronze Captains will guard the perimeter, while five Gold Captains and their Silver Captains will explore inside. Qin An is ordered to accompany Yang Quanfeng. He accepts, preferring danger and potential rewards to safety.
• Qin An asks about the missing Hu Qiao and the jailer, but Yang Quanfeng has no news.
• At Hidden Mountain, Fox Mother and Hou Lie, leader of Azure Cloud Valley, agree to cooperate and divide the Secret Treasure after Tree Lord demands half. They also decide Qin An must die: Hou Lie wants revenge for his son’s death.
• Qin An spends his quiet days studying miscellaneous books in the Evil Extermination Division’s Confidential Archives, aiming to raise his Scholar Profession to level six before the expedition.
• He notices a Silver Captain who visits the archives daily and suspects something is wrong. The man is actually Thousand-Faced Monkey, disguised in a stolen Silver Captain’s body and gathering intelligence for the Monkey Clan. When Qin An approaches, Cheng Sufeng interrupts, and the disguised demon leaves without being exposed.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains disciplined and ambitious: he refuses wine to stay alert, accepts a dangerous assignment without hesitation, and focuses on strengthening his Scholar Profession. His suspicions show his growing vigilance.
• Yang Quanfeng respects Qin An’s appetite for risk and assigns him to the Secret Treasure expedition. He acknowledges that the mission will be perilous.
• Fox Mother and Hou Lie form a wary alliance, setting aside their differences to pursue the treasure and target Qin An.
• Thousand-Faced Monkey carefully maintains his disguise and avoids acting on his urge to seize Qin An’s body, choosing secrecy over confrontation.
• Cheng Sufeng’s arrival inadvertently prevents Qin An from questioning the disguised monkey.

Significant themes

• Risk and reward: The Secret Treasure offers immense power, but reaching it will require facing serious danger.
• Preparation and self-improvement: Qin An uses a lull in hostilities to build skills and knowledge before the coming crisis.
• Deception and shifting alliances: Demons cooperate out of shared ambition, while one infiltrates the Division under a stolen identity.
• The calm before conflict: Ling Prefecture’s recent quiet is explained by factions conserving strength for the Secret Treasure, foreshadowing a major confrontation.

Key plot points

• Cheng Sufeng tells Qin An that the man who had been approaching him in the Confidential Archives is the Thousand-Faced Monkey, whom the Evil Extermination Division has secretly been tracking. Qin An agrees to keep his routine unchanged so he will not alert the suspect. The Monkey stops appearing and remains under surveillance.
• Qin An advances his Scholar Profession to level six after reading three Jade Bone Realm cultivation methods. He gains perfect recall, stronger comprehension of Jade Bone Realm Mind Methods, and the ability to reach mastery through enlightenment without spending vital blood.
• Needing a Mind Method, Qin An receives the Ye family’s Cold Moon Cultivation Method from Ye Lengshuang. In return, he agrees to help rescue her younger sister during the Tiger Clan’s Secret Treasure expedition—but only if he can do so without risking his life.
• Qin An masters the Cold Moon method, then merges its ice power into his Two Forms Subhuti Heart. This brings his Jade Bone Realm cultivation to mastery without consuming vital blood; only the bones of his skull remain to reach perfection. He reviews his combat techniques and decides to conserve his Blood Marrow for another skill.
• At Hidden Mountain, the Fox Mother prepares for the Secret Treasure. She orders her followers to worsen the conflict between the Monkey Clan and the Tree Lord’s forces, intending to use them as a vanguard. The Demon Hall claims it will stay out of the affair.
• The next day, a mission arrives for Qin An. He recognizes that the long-anticipated opening of the Secret Treasure is near.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains cautious and pragmatic. He avoids disrupting the investigation, advances through study rather than costly resources, and sets clear limits on the help he promises Ye Lengshuang.
• Cheng Sufeng shows concern for Qin An and works with him to keep the Thousand-Faced Monkey from learning he is under suspicion.
• Ye Lengshuang trusts Qin An enough to give him a valuable family inheritance and ask for help saving her sister. She accepts his conditions without demanding more.
• The Fox Mother reveals her ruthless, pleasure-seeking nature and her willingness to manipulate rival factions for the Fox Clan’s gain. Her followers, especially the Fox Woman, treat her cautiously.

Significant themes

• Knowledge as power: Qin An’s Scholar abilities turn reading and insight directly into cultivation gains.
• Pragmatism and boundaries: Qin An is willing to help, but not at any cost; trust is negotiated rather than assumed.
• Factional intrigue: The coming treasure hunt is shaped by surveillance, deception, and attempts to set rival groups against one another.
• Preparation for danger: Qin An strengthens himself and plans carefully as the Secret Treasure expedition approaches.

Key events

• The Evil Extermination Division mobilizes to claim and secure the Tiger Clan’s Secret Treasure, which will open the following day. Gold Captain Wan Ziqing urges the Silver Captains to seize the chance to earn Merits.
• At Carefree Mountain, Gold Captain Yang Quanfeng explains that four teams will enter through separate mountain entrances. He tells Qin An that the Thousand-Faced Monkey is being used as bait to track Demon movements, and that the Silver Captain whose identity it stole is unlikely to survive.
• Qin An learns that the Chief Prefecture Master is away hunting the Demon Hall Leader with three Gold Captains. The Division would eliminate the Demon Hall if it could, despite relying on it as a counterweight to other Demon factions.
• Meanwhile, the Fox Mother, Monkey Clan leader Hou Lie, and Tree Lord unite to pursue the Secret Treasure—and to kill Qin An, whom each blames for a personal grievance. The Fox Mother urges them to prioritize the treasure. The Tree Lord uses his powers to open a passage underground, and the Demon alliance descends.
• The next day, in heavy rain, Qin An and Yang Quanfeng’s team gather at the cave. A tiger’s roar announces the first obstacle: the Tiger Malevolence Array, powered by the lingering killing intent of the Tiger Clan’s ancestors. The Silver Captains enter, and Yang Quanfeng immediately cries, “This is bad!”

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains wary and pragmatic. He probes Yang Quanfeng about the missing Thousand-Faced Monkey, reflects on the Division’s use of the Demon Hall, and prepares carefully for the dangerous trial.
• Yang Quanfeng shows that he values Qin An’s ruthlessness and tactical ability, offering him guidance and keeping him close. He leads the team into the array.
• Wan Ziqing commands respect among the Gold Captains and inspires the Silver Captains with a stark promise: risk earns Merits and may open a path to promotion.
• Cheng Sufeng is tired from studying medical texts but remains beside Qin An. He warns Qin An to be careful, showing personal concern.
• Qiu Hong respectfully assists Qin An and follows his order to prioritize staying alive.
• Hou Lie, the Tree Lord, and the Fox Mother are united by shared aims but distrustful and hostile toward one another. Their mutual desire to kill Qin An adds to the tension.

Significant themes

• Risk, ambition, and institutional control: The Division turns dangerous missions into a cycle in which survival and advancement are tied to increasingly perilous work.
• Pragmatic alliances: The Division’s uneasy reliance on the Demon Hall, and the Demons’ own fragile coalition, show that shared interests can outweigh trust.
• Personal vengeance and competing priorities: Each Demon leader has a private grievance against Qin An, but the Fox Mother insists that securing the treasure comes first.
• Uncertainty and looming danger: The Secret Treasure’s defenses, the rival forces, and Yang Quanfeng’s alarm leave the expedition poised on the brink of a crisis.

Key plot points and events

• As Yang Quanfeng’s team advances through the cave, a hostile vibration travels through the ground and harms several Silver Captains. Qin An recognizes the danger, while Yang Quanfeng counters it with his hammers and scolds the group for their inattention.
• The team discovers a recently killed white fox whose organs were crushed from within. Qin An reasons that the Demons must have entered ahead of them and that the lone corpse suggests they were split up after encountering danger.
• A sophisticated mechanism then separates Qin An from his companions. Alone in a shifting passage filled with Tiger Malevolent Energy, he confronts and destroys a Bronze Tiger Beast—an apparent False God—and absorbs its False God Marrow.
• Beyond a bronze door, Qin An finds a tree-person fighting another Bronze Tiger Beast. Recognizing the tree-person as an ally of the Tree Lord, he attacks. He kills it and the beast within moments, then absorbs their marrow as well.
• With three pieces of False God Marrow absorbed, Qin An regards the dangerous secret treasure as an unusually valuable opportunity. As he prepares to continue, he hears approaching footsteps.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An demonstrates keen observation, practical reasoning, strong defensive abilities, and formidable combat skill. He remains composed even when attacked from behind, confident that his Gang Qi will protect him.
• Yang Quanfeng shows sound judgment as a leader: he acts quickly to stop the vibration attack, rebukes his subordinates, and is willing to hear Qin An’s analysis rather than dismissing him.
• The Silver Captains are shaken by the attack and impressed by Qin An’s unusually powerful Gang Qi and insight. Cheng Sufeng, whose pride has been stung by Qin An before, takes private satisfaction in seeing others humbled.
• Qin An’s encounter with the tree-person is openly hostile: he kills it because of its connection to the Tree Lord, while the Bronze Tiger Beast’s attack gives it false hope of escape.

Significant themes

• Vigilance and survival: Hidden mechanisms and attacks punish carelessness; awareness can be as important as strength.
• Merit and ability: Qin An’s skill and judgment earn others’ attention, while his confidence is backed by action.
• Dangerous opportunity: The secret treasure’s lethal guardians also provide Qin An with valuable resources.
• Ruthlessness and allegiance: Qin An treats the Tree Lord’s follower as an enemy, reflecting the harsh loyalties of the conflict.

Plot and key events

• Qin An encounters the Thousand-Faced Monkey disguised as an Evil Extermination Division Silver Captain. Recognizing him, Qin pretends to accept his explanation and invites him along, hoping to use him to uncover the demon forces’ plans.
• Elsewhere, Fox Mother and Hou Lie are ambushed by a powerful Silver Tiger Beast and realize the Secret Treasure is changing and has been rigged by the Demon Hall. They suspect Tree Lord has sided with the Hall and decide to find and kill him before trying to escape.
• As Qin and the Thousand-Faced Monkey travel, Qin notices False Gods have become scarce. When a Jade Stone on the Monkey vibrates, Qin demands to see it and correctly identifies it as a communications device.
• The Monkey refuses to cooperate, so Qin cuts off his hand and legs, then beheads him. The Monkey’s tiny true form emerges from the corpse, but Qin knows how his survival ability works and stops him from escaping.
• Qin offers to spare the Monkey and have the Evil Extermination Division reward him if he betrays the Monkey Clan. Choosing survival, the Monkey agrees to help and uses the Jade Stone to contact Hou Lie. Hou Lie asks about danger and the Division’s forces; Fox Mother asks where Qin is.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains controlled and strategic, treating the Monkey as a possible intelligence source rather than simply killing him. Once the disguise is exposed, he acts brutally but then turns the Monkey into an informant.
• Thousand-Faced Monkey shifts from hopeful deception to fear and submission. He abandons loyalty to the Monkey Clan when faced with death, accepting Qin’s offer as his best chance to live.
• Fox Mother and Hou Lie move from mutual irritation—Hou Lie blames her for the danger—to a wary alliance. They recognize the Demon Hall’s scheme and agree to target Tree Lord.
• Qin’s leverage over the Monkey contrasts with Hou Lie and Fox Mother’s growing realization that they themselves are being manipulated.

Significant themes

• Deception and shifting loyalties: Disguises, false explanations, and hidden allegiances shape events; survival prompts the Monkey to betray his clan.
• Power and survival: Characters make pragmatic choices under threat, often prioritizing life and advantage over pride or loyalty.
• Manipulation and political intrigue: The Demon Hall appears to be using the Secret Treasure to eliminate rival factions, while Qin seeks to turn the same network of deception to his advantage.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Fox Mother and Hou Lie use a jade locator to contact Thousand-Faced Monkey. Hou Lie orders him to hide and signal them if he finds Qin An, a Gold Captain, or Tree Lord, whom they intend to kill.
• The conversation reveals that Tree Lord has joined Demon Hall and that Demon Hall already possesses the Tiger Clan’s Secret Treasure—evidence, in Hou Lie’s view, of a deadly plot.
• Qin An takes the locator from Thousand-Faced Monkey and continues exploring. He reaches a vast cavern where dozens of Silver Captains are being overwhelmed by a Jade Bone Great Completion fox demon.
• Just as the demon is about to kill their leader, Wei Shunan, Qin An appears and kills it with one strike. He extracts its blood marrow, pleased that it is his fifth.
• Wei Shunan thanks Qin An and invites him to explore with the group. Qin An declines, preferring to stay independent because he is being hunted and can gather blood marrow more easily alone. He also acknowledges that the demon hidden in his pouch is his own concern.
• A Silver Captain suddenly dies as withered branches erupt from his body. Tree Lord takes control of the corpse and confronts Qin An, revealing that he has tracked Qin An’s aura.
• As Tree Lord threatens him, a Silver Tiger Beast charges toward Qin An from the passage behind him.

Character developments

• Qin An remains composed and pragmatic. He gathers intelligence, protects his independence, and treats the slain demon primarily as a source of blood marrow. His power is clear from his effortless victory over a formidable enemy.
• Thousand-Faced Monkey is frightened of angering Hou Lie and careful not to reveal too much, but he cooperates with Qin An and hands over the locator.
• Wei Shunan shows courage and leadership despite exhaustion and near-certain defeat. After Qin An saves him, he recognizes Qin An’s strength and tries to secure his help, but respects his refusal.
• Tree Lord moves from a distant threat to an immediate enemy, using a fallen officer’s body to reach Qin An.

Significant themes

• Trust and secrecy: Characters conceal information and motives; Qin An’s possession of a demon draws suspicion, but Wei Shunan chooses not to pry.
• Survival and independence: The separated officers must adapt quickly, while Qin An judges that traveling alone gives him the best chance.
• Power and vulnerability: Wei Shunan’s group is brave but depleted, showing that courage cannot always overcome a vast difference in strength.
• Schemes behind the expedition: Demon Hall’s control of the Secret Treasure and Tree Lord’s presence suggest that the danger extends beyond the monsters inside.

Character interactions

• Hou Lie gives Thousand-Faced Monkey orders while disparaging Qin An; the monkey carefully conceals his reaction.
• Qin An takes the jade locator from the monkey and keeps their exploration moving.
• Qin An saves Wei Shunan and his fellow officers, but declines to join them.
• Wei Shunan notices the demon’s presence in Qin An’s pouch but respects Qin An’s privacy.
• Tree Lord identifies Qin An as the target of his grudge and attacks just as a Silver Tiger Beast closes in from behind.

Key plot points and events

• The Tree Lord vanishes, leaving Qin An, Wei Shunan, and the other Silver Captains facing a badly injured but still formidable Silver Tiger Beast.
• Qin An recognizes that the beast’s wounds make escape pointless but give them a chance to fight. The Silver Captains prepare to stand their ground, despite expecting to die.
• Qin An clashes with the beast using Ice Flame Three Absolutes, injuring it further but taking damage himself. He then uses Burning Blood Heaven Severing Hand, sacrificing all six of his Blood Marrow and some of his own vitality.
• The technique destroys the beast, leaving behind Pseudo Origin, a valuable resource far more potent than False God Marrow. Qin An absorbs what he can and stores the rest.
• Wei Shunan discovers that the beast carries Wan Ziqing’s aura. Using his Tracking Technique, he leads Qin An and the Silver Captains through the passages to find her.
• Wan Ziqing has also fought a Silver Tiger Beast and absorbed some Pseudo Origin. After hearing how Qin An killed the other beast, she acknowledges his strength.
• Qin An privately tells Wan Ziqing that he carries a demon’s aura and reveals the Thousand-Faced Monkey, explaining the situation to her.
• Elsewhere, the Tree Lord learns that Qin An killed the Silver Tiger Beast. He resolves to kill Qin An, but first needs the Tiger Clan’s Malevolent Energy to reach the Perfected Realm and improve his standing in the Demon Hall.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An proves willing to risk his life and spend precious resources when retreat is impossible. His victory earns the Silver Captains’ awe and slightly improves Wan Ziqing’s opinion of him.
• Wei Shunan admits his fear but remains committed to the fight alongside his comrades. After Qin An’s victory, his earlier deathbed request becomes awkward; he then contributes by tracking Wan Ziqing.
• The Silver Captains move from dread to determined solidarity, then to stunned respect for Qin An’s extraordinary power.
• Wan Ziqing, initially detached and only faintly familiar with Qin An, becomes more receptive after seeing the evidence of his achievement. She listens to his confidential warning and explanation.
• The Tree Lord emerges as Qin An’s determined enemy, balancing his desire for revenge against the time needed to complete his breakthrough.

Significant themes

• Courage and duty: The Silver Captains act despite fear, accepting the danger that comes with their role.
• Sacrifice and survival: Qin An burns Blood Marrow and vitality to defeat a stronger opponent, turning a desperate situation into a costly victory.
• Power and recognition: Qin An’s strength changes how both his peers and Wan Ziqing regard him.
• Ongoing danger and ambition: The immediate threat is overcome, but the Tree Lord’s plans and the dangers of the secret treasure remain.

Plot and key events

• Tree Lord reflects on how Qin An destroyed his original chance to reach Perfection. Now allied with the Demon Hall, he is determined to absorb the Tiger Clan Secret Treasure’s Killing Intent before killing everyone inside.
• Tree Lord uses the unconscious Ye Lengyu, whose Pure Yin Body makes her valuable for cultivation and for refining Killing Intent, as a conduit to draw energy from her.
• Qin An and Wan Ziqing devise a trap: use Thousand-Faced Monkey to send a false opportunity to Fox Mother and Hou Lie, then ambush them with Gold Captains.
• Thousand-Faced Monkey contacts Hou Lie with the location signal. Fox Mother is suspicious but agrees to follow it, hoping to kill Qin An and possibly Wan Ziqing.
• When Hou Lie and Fox Mother reach the signal, Qin An appears alone. They attack, but Yang Quanfeng and Wan Ziqing reveal themselves. Wan freezes the pair in place, and Yang kills Hou Lie with his hammer.
• Fox Mother is immobilized but remains alive. At Qin An’s request, Wan Ziqing pauses before killing her so he can question her about Tree Lord and Ye Lengyu.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An shows strategic confidence, relying on allies rather than risking a direct fight. He sees backing and teamwork as practical strengths, not dishonorable shortcuts.
• Wan Ziqing trusts Qin An’s plan and allows him to question Fox Mother, despite her own readiness to finish the fight.
• Yang Quanfeng backs the ambush and swiftly kills Hou Lie, demonstrating his overwhelming strength.
• Fox Mother and Hou Lie set aside their suspicions long enough to pursue the signal, but realize too late that they have been lured into a trap. Hou Lie dies; Fox Mother is captured.
• Thousand-Faced Monkey helps lure his former master into danger, relieved to have switched sides and saved himself.
• Tree Lord remains a looming threat, driven by the desire to reach Perfection; Ye Lengyu’s fate is uncertain.

Significant themes

• Strategy and cooperation: Qin An wins by coordinating powerful allies rather than fighting alone.
• Power and survival: Characters make pragmatic choices—switching sides, forming temporary alliances, or exploiting others—to stay alive or grow stronger.
• Revenge and ambition: Qin An, Fox Mother, and Hou Lie are bound by personal grievances, while Tree Lord’s pursuit of Perfection fuels his cruelty.
• Honor versus effectiveness: Qin An rejects Fox Mother’s accusation that the ambush was dishonorable, arguing that using available support is simply good strategy.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An kills the defiant Fox Mother rather than waste time trying to interrogate her. He then kills the Thousand-Faced Monkey, explaining that the creature’s shifting loyalties and Tree Lord’s surveillance make it too risky to keep alive. Yang Quanfeng takes Hou Lie’s Blood Origin, while Wan Ziqing claims Fox Mother’s; Qin An accepts no share.
• Wan Ziqing offers Qin An a favor and promises help obtaining a major opportunity in the Evil Extermination Division if he reaches Jade Bone Realm Perfection. She refuses to reveal details, warning that knowing too soon could distract him from cultivation. Yang Quanfeng recognizes that Qin An may eventually leave his mentorship to pursue his demon-slaying path.
• The surviving Evil Extermination Division members gather outside the palace. Gold Captain Ou Yunlong uses his restraint technique to block Tree Lord’s escape through his roots; once the preparations are complete, Wan Ziqing opens the doors.
• Inside, Tree Lord has reached Perfection and is connected by branches to the palace’s tiger statues. Ye Lengyu lies unconscious nearby, and Ye Lengshuang recognizes her sister. Tree Lord cages Ye Lengyu and threatens the assembled captains.
• The four Gold Captains and Silver Captains attack. Tree Lord initially holds his own against them, while Qin An fights off the roots—especially those directed at him, confirming Tree Lord’s personal grudge.
• The Gold Captains reveal their trap: Mo Chuan activates a one-use compass array that temporarily raises all four captains from Great Completion to Perfection. Their combined assault badly damages Tree Lord.
• Facing defeat, Tree Lord triggers the palace’s Tiger Malevolent Energy by driving branches into the tiger statues. The resulting surge forces the Division members to defend themselves and gives Tree Lord a chance to flee with Ye Lengyu.
• Qin An stays alert, recognizes that the Gold Captains are occupied, and prepares to pursue the wounded Tree Lord. As Cheng Sufeng turns to check on him, Qin An has already disappeared.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An shows decisive, pragmatic ruthlessness, killing both Fox Mother and Thousand-Faced Monkey to eliminate risks. He remains cautious in the larger battle and independently spots his chance to pursue Tree Lord.
• Wan Ziqing respects Qin An’s talent and temperament, but believes he belongs in demon-slaying rather than under Yang Quanfeng’s wing. Her promise of future help is conditional on his reaching Perfection.
• Yang Quanfeng admires Qin An’s growing strength and unusual caution, yet reluctantly accepts that he may not be able to keep him.
• Tree Lord is revealed as powerful but vindictive: he singles Qin An out during the fight and remains fixated on killing him, even while escaping.
• Ye Lengshuang’s concern for her captured sister breaks the tense silence when the palace is opened. Cheng Sufeng acknowledges that Qin An has surpassed him, though he remains attentive to the younger fighter.
• The Division’s captains coordinate their strengths—Ou Yunlong’s restraints, Wan Ziqing’s ice, Yang Quanfeng’s hammer, and Mo Chuan’s array—while the Silver Captains fight without retreating.

Significant themes

• Pragmatism and caution: Qin An’s killings and his careful approach to Tree Lord reflect a belief that uncertain threats should not be trusted.
• Duty and sacrifice: The Division accepts casualties and risks itself to eradicate evil completely.
• Talent versus allegiance: Qin An’s promise of future opportunity suggests that ability may carry him beyond his current mentor or organization.
• Preparation and teamwork: The captains’ restraint strategy and concealed array show that planning, coordination, and costly resources can overcome even a stronger opponent.
• Unfinished danger: Tree Lord’s escape with Ye Lengyu turns an apparent victory into a new pursuit, while his hatred makes Qin An a likely target.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• After the battle at the palace, Qin An is missing. Cheng Sufeng worries about him, while Gold Captain Ou Yunlong speculates that he may have deserted.
• Meanwhile, the wounded Tree Lord carries the unconscious Ye Lengyu through the cave’s maze-like passages, planning to recover and take revenge on Qin An and the Evil Extermination Division.
• Qin An intercepts him alone. Although Qin An is only at Jade Bone Great Completion, he attacks with the powerful Burning Blood Heaven Severing Hand. The Tree Lord initially assumes the technique will quickly exhaust Qin An.
• Qin An reveals that a Pseudo Origin can replenish the technique’s immense cost. He repeatedly strikes the injured Tree Lord, then kills him with an eleventh punch despite the Tree Lord offering a Tiger Malevolent Pearl and threatening Demon Hall.
• Qin An collects the pearl and the Pseudo Origin from the Tree Lord’s remains. A mysterious green apparition then warns that Demon Hall will eventually seek his life.
• Qin An returns to retrieve Ye Lengyu, intending to honor his agreement with Ye Lengshuang.
• Back at the palace, the surviving Evil Extermination Division members recover from the battle. Mo Chuan calls for Qin An to be investigated—and possibly declared a deserter—while Yang Quanfeng, Wan Ziqing, Ye Lengshuang, and Cheng Sufeng defend his character. The chapter ends as footsteps approach, just as the group is preparing to search for him.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An shows unwavering resolve and resourcefulness. He turns the Tree Lord’s injuries and the Pseudo Origin’s energy into an opportunity to eliminate a dangerous enemy, and he does not yield to threats or bargaining. His actions also bring him into direct conflict with Demon Hall.
• The Tree Lord shifts from arrogant confidence to fear and desperation as Qin An’s sustained attacks overwhelm him. Even at the end, he tries to survive by invoking Demon Hall and offering treasure.
• Cheng Sufeng openly worries about Qin An and insists he is not a deserter.
• Ye Lengshuang defends Qin An because he has repeatedly saved her, while Wan Ziqing vouches for his character despite her usual aloofness.
• Yang Quanfeng asks the others to search before judging Qin An. Mo Chuan, by contrast, insists on enforcing the Division’s anti-desertion rules, creating a dispute among the Gold Captains.

Significant themes

• Resolve and sacrifice: Qin An accepts the cost of his powerful technique rather than let the Tree Lord escape.
• Loyalty and trust: Several characters risk conflict with a fellow officer to defend Qin An, while the Division’s strict rules create tension between loyalty and procedure.
• Power and consequence: Qin An’s victory earns him valuable resources but also attracts Demon Hall’s attention.
• Appearance versus reality: Qin An’s disappearance looks like desertion to those at the palace, though he is actually pursuing and killing the Tree Lord.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An returns to the Stone Cavern carrying the unconscious Ye Lengyu, whom he rescued from Tree Lord. Ye Lengshuang is relieved to find her sister alive and out of danger.
• Mo Chuan orders Qin An arrested for leaving his post and deserting. Qin An counters by presenting Tree Lord’s remains, proving that he killed the powerful demon.
• When Mo Chuan questions how a cultivator of Qin An’s rank could have done it, Qin An calls him a fool and argues that his achievement should not be overshadowed by his unauthorized departure.
• Mo Chuan moves to seize him, but Gold Captains Yang Quanfeng and Wan Ziqing defend Qin An. Ou Yunlong proposes a compromise: Qin An receives credit for killing Tree Lord and one recorded offense for leaving his post. Mo Chuan grudgingly accepts.
• Back at the Evil Extermination Division, Wan Ziqing urges Yang to let Qin An pursue an opportunity suited to him. Yang asks Qin An to meet the next day and tells him to reach Jade Bone Realm Perfection. He begins explaining that the opportunity concerns becoming a Mountain Patrol Captain.

Character developments

• Qin An remains calm and defiant under pressure. He refuses to accept an unjust arrest, relying on proof of his achievement and the support he has earned.
• Yang Quanfeng shows how strongly he values Qin An, openly standing against Mo Chuan and ultimately deciding to let Qin An pursue his proper path, despite his reluctance.
• Wan Ziqing acts as a firm advocate for judging Qin An by his results and pushes Yang to stop holding him back.
• Mo Chuan is humiliated and forced to retreat, but remains hostile toward Qin An.
• Ye Lengshuang shifts from despair to gratitude and relief after Qin An returns her sister safely.

Significant themes

• Merit versus rules: Qin An’s successful killing of Tree Lord weighs against his breach of orders, raising the question of whether results or strict procedure should matter more.
• Authority and fairness: Mo Chuan tries to use his rank against Qin An, while Yang and Wan insist that rank should not excuse an unjust judgment.
• Loyalty and opportunity: Yang’s support protects Qin An but also complicates his decision to let the young man pursue a future beyond his immediate reach.
• Reputation and proof: Tree Lord’s remains turn Qin An’s extraordinary claim into undeniable evidence, changing how the assembled captains view him.

Character interactions

• Qin An’s matter-of-fact return contrasts with Ye Lengshuang’s emotional gratitude and Yang’s protective concern.
• Qin An directly clashes with Mo Chuan, while Yang and Wan step in to prevent the confrontation from becoming an arrest.
• Ou Yunlong offers Mo Chuan a face-saving compromise, allowing the dispute to end without further conflict.
• Wan’s private warning prompts Yang to reconsider Qin An’s future; the next morning, Yang begins guiding him toward the Mountain Patrol Captain opportunity.

Key events

• Yang Quanfeng explains that the Evil Extermination Division cannot hold Ling Prefecture’s many demon and False God threats with its Gold Captains alone. Mountain Patrol Captains act as its roaming strike force, hunting enemies across great distances; the role is dangerous but offers substantial Merits.
• Recruitment begins in half a month. Applicants must reach Jade Bone Realm Perfection, and normally must have served for a year. Wan Ziqing can waive the service requirement by recommendation.
• Qin An immediately decides to pursue the role, since it offers the Merits and opportunities to gain blood vitality he needs to grow stronger.
• Yang Quanfeng warns Qin An not to rush into the Returning Treasury Realm. That realm involves refining the five organs, and using a Yang Pill to transform at least one organ can greatly improve one’s foundation. Yang Pills are rare, but Qin An plans to learn alchemy and eventually transform all five.
• Qin An spends the day practicing butchery to advance his profession and strengthen his Life Skills Golden Finger.
• The next day, Qin An learns that the Division has withheld the Tree Lord’s Demon Core, using it to offset his unauthorized departure from his post. He accepts the ruling, though he remains wary of Mo Chuan.
• He goes to the Confidential Archives and spends his Merits on five Jade Bone Realm Cultivation Methods. There, a sneering young Silver Captain confronts him, calling him arrogant.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An shows confidence and pragmatism: he accepts the danger of Mountain Patrol service because its rewards suit his need to advance quickly. He also thinks beyond immediate cultivation, planning to acquire the skills needed to make Yang Pills himself.
• Yang Quanfeng acts as Qin An’s mentor, explaining both the Mountain Patrol role and the Returning Treasury Realm. His advice carries regret: he once chose safety over becoming a Mountain Patrol Captain and now wishes he had acted differently.
• Wan Ziqing’s painful family history is revealed. Her parents and siblings all died serving the Division, which explains her cultivation of the Method of Severing Emotions and Desires and her special authority to recommend recruits.
• Mo Chuan remains an antagonistic presence, having arranged the loss of Qin An’s Demon Core as punishment.
• The chapter ends with a new, unidentified young Silver Captain provoking Qin An at the archives.

Significant themes

• Duty and sacrifice: The Mountain Patrol Captains risk their lives to protect Ling Prefecture; Wan Ziqing’s family embodies the cost of that service.
• Risk versus safety: Yang regrets choosing security, while Qin An willingly accepts danger in pursuit of strength and purpose.
• Preparation and foundations: Advancement is not merely about reaching the next realm; thoughtful preparation, rare resources, and solid foundations matter.
• Self-reliance: Qin An intends to overcome the shortage of alchemists by learning alchemy himself.

Plot points and events

• In the crowded Confidential Archives, Liu Qingzhou confronts newcomer Qin An to avenge his superior, Mo Chuan, whom Qin An had offended. Liu belittles Qin’s role in killing the Tree Lord and tries to turn the other Silver Captains against him.
• Qin tells Liu to leave him alone, but Liu grabs his shoulder and challenges him to fight in the arena. Qin accepts, intending to make an example of Liu and discourage further harassment.
• Before a large audience, Liu boasts that Qin can surrender or be beaten. Qin immediately attacks. His single blade strike combines escalating Ice and Fire Qi, overwhelms Liu despite Liu’s Jade Bone Realm Perfection, and leaves him badly injured.
• Qin turns to leave, considering the matter settled. Liu secretly attacks him with steel spines from his folding fan, but Qin’s powerful Heavenly Gang Body Protection deflects them.
• Qin retaliates by severing Liu’s right arm. He takes the folding fan, remarking that he likes it.

Character developments

• Qin An is shown as formidable, decisive, and unwilling to tolerate political bullying. His calm confidence is backed by exceptional offensive and defensive abilities. He initially seeks only to end the dispute, but responds decisively when Liu attacks from behind.
• Liu Qingzhou is revealed as an arrogant, calculating subordinate who seeks Mo Chuan’s favor by targeting Qin. His confidence collapses after Qin defeats him; his concealed attack further exposes his dishonorable nature.
• The watching Silver Captains move from concern or skepticism to stunned respect as they realize Qin’s achievement against the Tree Lord reflected genuine strength.

Significant themes

• Power and reputation: Qin’s victory overturns assumptions about a newcomer’s standing and demonstrates that rank does not guarantee superiority.
• Political favoritism and intimidation: Liu uses his connection to Mo Chuan to bully Qin and manipulate colleagues.
• Honor versus treachery: Liu demands martial courtesy but then attacks Qin from behind, while Qin answers openly and forcefully.
• Deterrence: Qin’s stated aim is to make Liu an example so others will think twice before provoking him.

Character interactions

• Liu’s confrontation with Qin is fueled by his loyalty to Mo Chuan and his desire to gain favor. He tries to provoke Qin and recruit the audience’s resentment, but Qin refuses to be intimidated.
• The spectators’ reactions frame the duel: some expect Liu to dominate, while a veteran of Qin’s previous mission explains why Qin’s strength should not be underestimated.
• After Liu’s ambush, Qin’s final act turns the folding fan—Liu’s weapon and symbol of his confidence—into a trophy.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An defeats Liu Qingzhou in the arena after Liu attacks him from behind with a hidden weapon. Qin An cuts off Liu’s right arm, then points out that Liu broke the rules first.
• Liu threatens that the Evil Extermination Division will punish Qin An, but the watching Silver Captains increasingly regard Liu as the one at fault and Qin An as calculating rather than reckless.
• Mo Chuan arrives and orders Qin An arrested, using the division’s rules as a pretext for retaliation over their earlier feud.
• Qin An reveals that Gold Captain Wan Ziqing has been watching. Wan blocks Mo Chuan’s move by presenting her late brother’s token and explaining his sacrifice defending a town from Demons.
• Wan declares that Qin An intends to pursue the dangerous Mountain Patrol Captain post. Mo Chuan, impressed by Qin An’s courage and mindful of his own connection to Mountain Patrol Captains, returns two Demon Cores he had withheld and makes peace with him.
• Wan invites Qin An to meet someone.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An demonstrates composure, strategic foresight, and ruthless resolve. He acted knowing Wan Ziqing was present and uses the rules and witnesses to defend himself.
• Liu Qingzhou loses his right arm and standing among his peers. His attempt to ambush Qin An earns widespread contempt, and his fear of Mo Chuan is evident.
• Mo Chuan shifts from seeking Qin An’s arrest to reconciling with him. Though petty and politically motivated, he respects those willing to risk their lives as Mountain Patrol Captains.
• Wan Ziqing supports Qin An and reveals the personal meaning behind her brother’s service. Her controlled demeanor reflects her practice of suppressing emotion.

Significant themes

• Honor and justice: Liu’s hidden attack undermines his complaint about Qin An’s response.
• Strategy and power: Qin An anticipates the political consequences of his actions and relies on Wan’s presence.
• Sacrifice and duty: Wan’s brother’s death embodies the risks of service against Demons.
• Respect earned through courage: The prospect of becoming a Mountain Patrol Captain changes how others view Qin An and helps end his feud with Mo Chuan.

Key plot points

• Wan Ziqing brings Qin An to meet Guo Jinfa, a Silver Mountain Patrol Captain who once served alongside—and was saved by—her late brother.
• Guo reveals a possible opportunity for Qin An: if he reaches Jade Bone Realm Perfection within half a month, he may take part in a dangerous mission involving Fire Crow Mountain. He privately advises Qin An to obtain an ice-attributed treasure, though he cannot disclose more.
• Qin An demonstrates that his unusually powerful ice-and-fire True Qi comes from forging his jade bones with Azure Mountain Jade. Guo realizes this may serve in place of the treasure and revises his opinion of Qin An.
• Back at his lodgings, Qin An uses his Scholar Talent and stored resources to cultivate. After a difficult breakthrough, he merges the strengths of Ice Flame Dual Absolutes with the Two Forms Subhuti Heart, bringing the latter to Perfection in the Jade Bone Realm.
• Qin An immediately turns to his next cultivation method, intent on making further progress.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An remains direct, practical, and focused on strength. He rejects the idea of winning favor through flattery, proves his cultivation is exceptional, and pushes through a costly breakthrough rather than settling for slow progress.
• Guo Jinfa initially mistakes Qin An’s question about ice True Qi for an attempt to find a shortcut. After learning about the Azure Mountain Jade, he acknowledges his misjudgment and becomes curious about Qin An’s future.
• Wan Ziqing offers Qin An discreet help because of her connection to Guo and her brother. Despite her emotion-severing cultivation, she speaks candidly about her grief and trust in Guo.
• Guo and Wan share a quiet moment at her brother’s grave. Guo urges her to abandon her emotion-severing method; she refuses, saying her family is gone and she wants only to slay more demons before her body fails.

Significant themes

• Merit and integrity: Qin An believes survival and advancement should depend on ability, not flattery.
• Grief and emotional suppression: Wan’s devotion to demon-slaying is tied to loss, while Guo questions whether suppressing emotion is a humane path.
• Ambition and perseverance: Qin An’s rapid advancement still requires substantial effort and resources; each realm presents harder barriers.
• Opportunity and risk: The prospective Fire Crow Mountain mission offers a path to join the Mountain Patrol Captains, but only if Qin An reaches the required realm in time.

Key plot points and events

• Qin An uses Demon Cores, a Pseudo Origin, and the remaining Tiger Malevolent Pearl to strengthen his techniques, prioritizing immediate power over conserving resources.
• He combines the Annihilation Blade with the Ice Flame Three Absolutes, creating the Ice Flame Annihilation Blade at Great Completion. Its relentless offense removes the original technique’s hesitation and may kill a Jade Bone Realm Perfection opponent with its three absolutes.
• He fuses the Saint Origin Fist into his more powerful Burning Blood Heaven Severing Hand, bringing it to Great Completion and doubling the effect of the same amount of blood and qi.
• The Wind Travel Technique is absorbed by his Startled Dragon Wind-Cloud Steps, also raised to Great Completion, giving him near-invisible speed.
• He combines the Vajra Dharma Body with Heavenly Gang Body Protection to create the Heavenly Gang Dharma Body. Its outer gang-qi shell is backed by a second, golden defense.
• With his Mind Method at Perfection and his other techniques at Great Completion, Qin An believes he can pass the Mountain Patrol Captain trial. He plans to advance his Butcher Profession to level six, then unlock Alchemy and eventually prepare carefully for the Returning Treasury Realm.
• Meanwhile, Liu Qingzhou remains unable to fight effectively with his left hand after Qin An severed his right arm. He resents Mo Chuan for ending the feud with Qin An and giving him only two Demon Cores as compensation, while Qin An goes unpunished and Liu faces his colleagues’ ridicule.
• Nie Ruhai visits Liu and offers to discuss revenge. Liu recognizes him as a formidable Silver Captain with a Sword Heart—and as someone who also hates Qin An.

Character developments and interactions

• Qin An becomes more formidable and better-rounded, improving offense, speed, and defense while remaining focused on survival and steady advancement. He keeps some Demon Cores in reserve because his secret hand technique consumes blood and qi.
• Liu Qingzhou shifts from wounded frustration toward potential renewed hostility. His conversation with Mo Chuan (recounted in his thoughts) leaves him feeling betrayed, and Nie Ruhai’s offer gives his resentment a possible direction.
• Nie Ruhai emerges as a likely ally—or manipulator—in a revenge plot against Qin An. His cool, confident manner contrasts with Liu’s despair.
• Their encounter ends with Liu admitting Nie inside, setting up a possible alliance.

Significant themes

• Power through disciplined preparation: Qin An strengthens multiple capabilities rather than pursuing a single technique to perfection.
• Survival and pragmatism: He values mobility, layered defenses, and resources that can keep him alive in a dangerous world.
• The cost of ambition and revenge: Liu’s lost arm, humiliation, and anger show how personal conflicts can leave lasting damage.
• The importance of foundational advantages: Qin An sees his Golden Finger and profession system—not techniques or blood and qi alone—as the basis of his long-term growth.

Key plot points and events

• Nie Ruhai gives Liu Qingzhou a forbidden-looking sword technique that consumes lifespan to boost the power of each strike. He urges Liu to use it to kill Qin An and enter the Mountain Patrol Captain Examination.
• Nie admits his motive: with only ten positions and twenty Silver Captains competing, he wants a dangerous rival removed. Liu agrees, hoping to regain his reputation and take revenge. He plans to learn the technique before the examination.
• Qin An finishes a stint at the butcher shop, where the local butcher praises his skill and courtesy. Tang Lingwei overhears and privately contrasts his gentle public manner with his ruthlessness against Demons.
• Qin’s Butcher profession reaches level six after he slaughters ten Jade Bone Realm Demons. Its new ability can enhance the essence—and thus purity—of materials he extracts, while new talents improve his blade training and let him perceive weaknesses in opponents’ weapon techniques.
• Wanting to reach the Returning Treasury Realm in a stronger state, Qin plans to refine five organs with Yang Pills. He asks Yang Quanfeng about alchemy, learns that skilled Yang Pill refiners are scarce, and is directed to Spring Breeze Hall.
• Qin visits the alchemy hall and asks its elderly master to teach him the basics. The master reacts skeptically, asking why someone who wields a blade wants to handle cinnabar.

Character developments and interactions

• Liu Qingzhou sets aside his pride and accepts Nie’s dangerous method, choosing revenge and restored standing over concern for the lifespan it may cost.
• Nie Ruhai reveals that his help is strategic rather than altruistic. He manipulates Liu’s desire for revenge into a plan that could also improve Liu’s standing if he survives.
• Qin An advances in strength and focuses on gaining alchemical knowledge to support his next breakthrough. His courtesy earns him admiration among ordinary people, though Tang knows his fiercer side.
• Yang Quanfeng recognizes that Qin has already reached Jade Bone Realm Perfection and is astonished by how quickly he progressed. He accepts that Qin may soon outgrow his command.
• Tang Lingwei shows affection and admiration for Qin, while teasing her subordinate Gao Quan when he notices it.

Significant themes

• Ambition and its cost: Liu is willing to trade lifespan for strength, while Qin pursues a more controlled, carefully prepared advancement.
• Reputation and respect: Liu sees the examination as a way to restore his standing; Qin’s reputation differs between his gentle public image and his ruthless work against Demons.
• Growth and independence: Qin’s new talents mark his rapid development, while Yang recognizes that Qin’s rise may take him beyond his current mentor’s reach.
• Strategic alliances: Nie’s apparent help is driven by competition, underscoring how assistance often serves self-interest.