Chapter Summaries

Chu Yang and his companions uncovered the truth behind Cloud Dwelling Temple: the Abbot had aided a demon formed from his late wife’s remains, and his daughter Xia’er had been caught in the tragedy. After the Abbot and Red Skeleton died, Chu Yang and Hua Manlou argued over humanity’s place in a world shared with demons, while Lu Xiaofeng wondered whether his joke about Chu Yang rebelling had accidentally struck the truth.

• Li Gexiao, Chu Yang, Lu Xiaofeng, and Hua Manlou entered Cloud Dwelling Temple and broke through the auras protecting its Great Buddha Hall.
• The group found Red Skeleton dying in the Abbot’s arms while Xia’er prayed, and learned that the Abbot was her father and Red Skeleton had formed from his late wife’s remains.
• Chu Yang revealed that the Abbot had likely fed the temple’s monks to Red Skeleton for their Buddha Relics, and Red Skeleton died without killing the Abbot before he took his own life.
• Li Gexiao gave the Buddha Relics to Chu Yang, and Xia’er gathered her parents’ remains so they could be buried together beneath the locust tree.
• Chu Yang ordered the spiritually awakening locust tree cut down and declared that he would kill demons to protect humanity, prompting Hua Manlou to concede that he had misspoken.
• Lu Xiaofeng joked that Chu Yang might rebel, then grew uneasy when Li Gexiao stared at him strangely.

After the urgent report revealed that the Qi Family Army had been ambushed and Jinling City faced an imminent attack, Chu Yang chose to take responsibility for the people rather than return to a carefree life. He confronted Magistrate Xu, whose corruption was exposed, and the chapter ended with the magistrate rejecting Li Gexiao’s claim that Chu Yang was Prince Xian.

• Chu Yang, Lu Xiaofeng, Hua Manlou, and Li Gexiao shared a meal and discussed Chu Yang’s newfound freedom and the suffering he had witnessed outside the capital.
• Li Gexiao warned Chu Yang that he could not abandon the people, and an urgent report announced that the Qi Family Army had been ambushed and a Sea Clan Great Demon was approaching Jinling City.
• Chu Yang restored the dying messenger and decided to defend the world, then slapped Magistrate Xu for insulting General Qi and the Qi Family Army.
• Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou exposed Magistrate Xu’s bribery and negligence, while Li Gexiao revealed that the men were not Embroidered Uniform Guards.
• Li Gexiao announced that Chu Yang was Prince Xian, but Magistrate Xu dismissed the claim as a lie, and Lu Xiaofeng realized that he had previously disrespected the prince.

Chu Yang crushed Magistrate Xu and the county clerk’s attempt to flee, then took charge of Jinling City’s defense as officials and residents began escaping. He let wealthy people leave but shut the city gates against the remaining townspeople.

• Li Gexiao, Lu Xiaofeng, and Hua Manlou fought the constables while Hua Manlou persuaded Chu Yang to spare them for the city’s defense.
• The county clerk brought the city-gate constables to help Magistrate Xu and urged him to abandon Jinling, but Chu Yang’s attack killed the county clerk and crippled Magistrate Xu while leaving most constables alive.
• Li Gexiao took command of the surrendered constables and sent Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou to search General Qi’s residence for Demon Slaying Heavy Crossbows.
• Chu Yang let nobles and wealthy merchants flee, then recognized Yan Shifan among them and told a constable to inform Li Gexiao that he could leave to seek revenge.
• As shopkeepers and other townspeople prepared to flee, Chu Yang blew the city gates shut and declared that no one else could leave.

Chu Yang stopped Jinling City’s refugees from fleeing, explained that the demon clan would easily catch them, and reunited with Li Xunhuan as they prepared the city’s defenses. At night, the demon clan arrived outside the city, and Chu Yang faced the coming attack.

• Chu Yang used his power to scatter the angry refugees and warned them that demons could outrun and track anyone fleeing the city.
• Li Xunhuan recognized Chu Yang, explained that Dragon Guard Villa had pursued him to Jinling, and agreed to help defend the city.
• Li Gexiao reported that Lu Xiaofeng and the others had found Demon Slaying Crossbows, while Li Xunhuan identified Duan Tianya and Guihai Yidao as potential messengers and scouts.
• Chu Yang sent Li Gexiao and Li Xunhuan to find the agents, asking one to request court reinforcements and the other to learn how the Qi Family Army became trapped in Wanglong City.
• Chu Yang fed Wangcai Blood Bodhi and watched night fall as the people of Jinling prepared for the attack.
• The demon clan gathered beyond the city gates, and Chu Yang announced that they had arrived.

Yan Shifan’s fleeing convoy was swallowed by the Golden Winged Great Peng King, while Chu Yang faced the Sea Swallowing Demon King outside Jinling City. Chu Yang’s flood overwhelmed the demon beast vanguard, but the Sea Swallowing Demon King absorbed the water and challenged him as defenders elsewhere spotted the Great Peng King overhead.

• Yan Shifan ordered a fire lit for a hot meal, then panicked when he realized flying demons could find them and urged the convoy to flee.
• The Golden Winged Great Peng King blocked out the moon and swallowed Yan Shifan’s convoy, while people abandoned along the road survived.
• The Sea Swallowing Demon King ordered ten thousand demons to attack Jinling City, and Chu Yang stood alone atop its wall.
• Chu Yang summoned a flood that drowned many demon beasts, but the Sea Swallowing Demon King absorbed the water and revealed his monstrous form.
• The Sea Swallowing Demon King challenged Chu Yang to fight, while Lu Xiaofeng, Hua Manlou, Li Gexiao, Li Xunhuan, Tie Chuanjia, Yan Nantian, and Jiang Feng saw the Golden Winged Great Peng King above the city.

Chu Yang killed the Sea Swallowing Demon King and fought the Golden Winged Great Peng King, who had come to avenge him. The Great Peng King fell at the city gate after Fengdu shattered his Demon Core, leaving two Demon Kings dead before Jinling City.

• Chu Yang used the Malevolent Shrine’s slashes and sword qi against the Sea Swallowing Demon King, then shattered his Demon Core with a sun-forged spear.
• The Golden Winged Great Peng King learned that Chu Yang had killed his elder brother and attacked him, but Chu Yang broke his right arm with a punch.
• The Golden Winged Great Peng King fled into the sky and slaughtered demon beasts whose greed had stirred at the scent of his blood.
• Li Gexiao confronted the Great Peng King at the city wall and was struck down, buying time for Fengdu to pierce the Great Peng King and shatter his Demon Core.

Chu Yang defeated the demon siege of Jinling City, killing both Demon Kings and driving the remaining forces away. As the city celebrated its survival, he and his allies worried that the demon race’s desperate assault might signal a greater threat at Wanglong City, while refugees returned and learned that their rescuer was a prince named Chu.

• Chu Yang killed the Golden Winged Great Peng King and the Sea Swallowing Demon King, causing the demon army to flee and Jinling City to survive the siege.
• Chu Yang praised Li Gexiao for helping create the chance to kill the Golden Winged Great Peng King, ordered care for the fallen constables’ families, and sent Lu Xiaofeng to tell the civilians the city was safe.
• Chu Yang met Li Xunhuan and Tie Chuanjia, then heard Li Xunhuan suspect that Wanglong City faced an even greater demon assault and that the demon race might be desperate over its demon calamity.
• At dawn, abandoned servants and refugees returned to Jinling City, and Chu Yang allowed them through while warning the constables to keep up their duties.
• The civilians learned that Chu Yang had stopped them from fleeing into danger and that he was a prince, while Lu Xiaofeng told them they could call him Lord Chu.

Lu Xiaofeng warned the constables to conceal Chu Yang’s role in Jinling City’s defense unless speaking became necessary, while Vice General Chen revealed that the Wokou and demons had joined forces and besieged Wanglong City. After reinforcements arrived, Guihai Yidao learned that Chu Yang had killed two Demon Kings and recognized him as a prince.

• Lu Xiaofeng told the constables to keep Chu Yang’s identity and role secret to protect him, but urged them to reveal the truth if necessary.
• Vice General Chen reported that the Wokou had become Demon Persons and joined the demons in attacking Wanglong City, then said the Qi Family Army carried a powerful new firearm.
• Chu Yang gathered the two Demon Kings’ remains, while Li Xunhuan proposed striking the demons with the Qi Family Army’s help.
• Guihai Yidao arrived with reinforcements, learned Jinling City had survived the assault, and heard that Lord Chu had killed two Demon Kings.
• Guihai Yidao found Chu Yang beside Li Xunhuan and Li Gexiao, recognized him, and knelt to pay respects to Your Highness.

Chu Yang killed General Zhao for refusing to reinforce the Qi Family Army and prepared to return to the capital after learning of Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue’s Mid-Autumn duel. Li Xunhuan warned him that the capital was perilous and that no expert who sought the throne had ever left it alive.

• Chu Yang dismissed Guihai Yidao’s questions about Lord Chu, ordered the army to search for demons and reinforce the Qi Family Army, and learned that General Zhao’s troops had formed factions and refused to march south.
• Chu Yang seized and killed General Zhao, then ordered Guihai Yidao and Li Gexiao to lead the army to General Qi while the deputy general knelt in fear.
• Guihai Yidao realized Chu Yang had concealed his power for years, and Li Gexiao restrained him and warned him to follow Chu Yang’s orders.
• Chu Yang spoke with Li Xunhuan about his desire for freedom, then encountered Lu Xiaofeng arguing with Sikong Zhaixing, who reported that Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue would duel at the Forbidden City Summit on Mid-Autumn night.
• Chu Yang decided to travel back to the capital by boat, and Li Xunhuan privately warned him that the capital’s waters ran deep and that previous challengers for the throne had never escaped alive.

Chu Yang returned toward the capital for the Forbidden City Summit, where he expected Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng’s duel to reveal a larger conspiracy. After the Eastern and Western Depot directors escorted him into the palace, the Emperor’s memories of Chu Yang’s brilliance and his claim to the throne resurfaced.

• Li Xunhuan left to visit an old friend and planned to decide what he wanted from his life before possibly traveling to the capital.
• Chu Yang told Lu Xiaofeng that Ximen Chuixue would defeat Ye Gucheng because Ye’s sword heart had been corrupted by power and schemes.
• As Chu Yang, Lu Xiaofeng, and Sikong Zhaixing traveled toward the capital, agents Cao Zhengchun and Yu Huatian intercepted them and demanded that Chu Yang return to the palace.
• Chu Yang used Conqueror's Haki to warn Yu Huatian, then agreed to meet the Emperor while sending Lu Xiaofeng and Sikong Zhaixing to the Prince's Residence.
• Cao Zhengchun warned Lu Xiaofeng to distance himself from Chu Yang, but Lu Xiaofeng defied him and invoked his many friends, including Ximen Chuixue.
• The Emperor remembered that the Late Emperor had regarded Chu Yang as his heir, broke his brush in anger, and ordered that Chu Yang be brought in.

Chu Yang met with the Emperor, who tested his strength and secretly planned to kill him at the Mid-Autumn Festival. After leaving the palace, Chu Yang recognized Chai Hu as the Tidal River Bandit and returned to his residence, where he told Lu Xiaofeng and Sikong Zhaixing that the Emperor would likely summon him again.

• The Emperor feigned anger and tested Chu Yang by throwing a meteorite paperweight, which Chu Yang shattered with sword qi.
• After Chu Yang left, the Emperor ordered Cao Zhengchun and Yu Huatian to join forces with the Imperial Guards and kill him at the Mid-Autumn Festival, promising them power over Dragon Guard Villa, Divine Marquis Manor, and Six Doors.
• At the palace gate, Chu Yang recognized Imperial Guard Chai Hu as the Tidal River Bandit and told him to ask Guo Bu Jing about his future.
• Back at Prince Xian's Residence, Chu Yang interrupted Lu Xiaofeng and Sikong Zhaixing discussing the Emperor's distrust of him.
• Chu Yang told Lu Xiaofeng that the Emperor would probably invite him to the palace for the Mid-Autumn Festival and said he hoped Lu Xiaofeng would not disappoint him.

Chu Yang celebrated Mid-Autumn at Prince Xian's Residence as Guo Bu Jing warned him about the danger of returning to the palace and resolved to accompany him. On the festival day, Cao Zhengchun arrived with an Imperial Decree, which Chu Yang took without kneeling.

• Guo Bu Jing visited Chu Yang with Chai Hu and explained that the new Imperial Guards instructor was secretly drilling palace guards in formations designed to counter martial artists.
• Guo Bu Jing warned Chu Yang that the Emperor's forces could kill him, but Chu Yang defended his decision to face the Emperor and cited the threats confronting the people of the realm.
• Guo Bu Jing agreed to accompany Chu Yang on his next visit to the palace, while Lu Xiaofeng left with Sikong Zhaixing to investigate the suspicious Mid-Autumn duel and Ye Gucheng.
• Chu Yang promised to introduce Chai Hu to his returning friend Li Gexiao, and Chai Hu stayed at Prince Xian's Residence.
• When Mid-Autumn arrived, Cao Zhengchun brought an Imperial Decree to Chu Yang, who took it without kneeling and said his knees were unwell.

Chu Yang watched Divine Marquis Manor search the capital for demons and met Sheng Yayu, the wheelchair-bound Great Constable Wuqing. After he subdued an aggressive constable and warned Sheng Yayu about her manor’s conduct, she urged him to avoid the Emperor’s Mid-Autumn moon-viewing invitation, leaving Chu Yang to consider her warning.

• Chu Yang ignored the Imperial Decree summoning him to the palace and went to a crowded restaurant, where he spotted Sheng Yayu leading Divine Marquis Manor constables.
• Sheng Yayu’s constables sealed off the street and searched the crowd, killing a Demon Person they found among the onlookers.
• A black-robed constable attacked Chu Yang in his private room, but Chu Yang knocked him unconscious and sent him crashing at Sheng Yayu’s feet.
• Sheng Yayu recognized Chu Yang as Prince Xian, and he warned her that Divine Marquis Manor’s harsh methods and arrogance could cause trouble.
• Sheng Yayu accepted Chu Yang’s advice and urged him to decline the Emperor’s invitation to admire the moon, then departed with her constables.
• After Sheng Yayu left, she angrily called Chu Yang a lecher, while he privately praised her figure.

Chu Yang entered the Forbidden City and faced the Emperor’s forces while Lu Xiaofeng investigated the strange events surrounding the planned duel between Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng. The duel ended with a fake Ye Gucheng dead, and a sword strike against the Emperor met the Dragon Vein’s protection.

• Lu Xiaofeng warned Chu Yang that the deaths in the capital seemed connected to eunuch Wang, while Chu Yang remained unconcerned about the palace’s threat.
• Lu Xiaofeng used a waist token to bring Chai Hu into the Forbidden City, where they joined the crowd watching Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng.
• Chu Yang stepped onto a parade ground and found himself surrounded by Imperial Guards, powerful eunuchs, and palace officials who intended to kill him.
• Ximen Chuixue refused to duel Ye Gucheng, declaring him unworthy, and the supposed Ye Gucheng was struck by hidden weapons and fell to his death.
• Ximen Chuixue told Lu Xiaofeng that the dead man was a fake, and Lu Xiaofeng confirmed it before keeping his suspicions about the Emperor’s situation to himself.
• A sword flashed toward the Emperor in the Imperial Study, but the Emperor shouted that the Dragon Vein protected him.

Ye Gucheng, Chief Wang, and the Heir of Prince Pingnan used the Blood Resentment Pearl to attack the Emperor and suppress his Dragon Qi. Meanwhile, Chu Yang fought the Imperial Guards until Guo Bu Jing arrived; as Chu Yang moved to kill Cao Zhengchun, the eunuch surrendered.

• Ye Gucheng failed to assassinate the Emperor, then revealed Chief Wang and the Heir of Prince Pingnan, who looked exactly like the Emperor.
• The Heir of Prince Pingnan revealed that he had sacrificed everyone in his fief to create the Blood Resentment Pearl, and Ye Gucheng used it to unleash bloodied spirits against the Emperor.
• Chu Yang held back while fighting the Imperial Guards, while Cao Zhengchun and Yu Huatian waited for him to tire and Li Chengliang grew increasingly desperate over his troops’ casualties.
• Cao Zhengchun and Yu Huatian entered the battle formation with other eunuchs, but Guo Bu Jing arrived and struck at them with his Surging Wave Palm.
• Chu Yang cleared the abnormal forces from Guo Bu Jing’s arms and asked him to hold off the Imperial Guards while Chu Yang attacked the eunuchs.
• Chu Yang appeared before Cao Zhengchun and struck toward his vital point, but Cao Zhengchun dropped to his knees and begged for mercy.

Chu Yang discovered that the emperor had been murdered and that the Heir of Prince Pingnan was posing as him, then killed the conspirators and claimed the Dragon Vein. He left the palace after entrusting the emperor’s remains to Guo Bu Jing and watched Ye Gucheng die in his promised duel with Ximen Chuixue.

• Cao Zhengchun surrendered to Chu Yang, while Chu Yang defeated Yu Huatian before the Dragon Vein’s Golden Dragon roared and drew everyone’s attention to the Imperial Study.
• Chu Yang and Guo Bu Jing arrived at the Imperial Study, where they found the emperor’s corpse and exposed the Heir of Prince Pingnan’s disguise.
• Chu Yang killed more than a dozen red-robed eunuchs, and Ye Gucheng beheaded Chief Wang before Chu Yang killed the heir and crushed the imperial seal.
• Chu Yang drew the Dragon Qi into his hand, ordered Cao Zhengchun to arrange the emperor’s remains, and left with Cao Zhengchun and Yu Huatian.
• Ye Gucheng fought Ximen Chuixue at the Forbidden City Summit and died, and news of the emperor’s death spread the next day.

After the Emperor’s assassination, the court learned that Prince Pingnan’s heir had used a Blood Sacrifice Pearl to pollute the Dragon Vein. Chu Yang claimed the throne and won the support of five of the six powerful leaders, while Zhu Wushi opposed his ascension and warned that the realm would not accept him.

• The officials mourned the Emperor, while Zhu Wushi, Marquis Zhuge, and Zheng Dongliu discussed the succession and the circumstances of his death.
• Guo Bu Jing told the court that the Heir of Prince Pingnan and Ye Gucheng had assassinated the Emperor, then privately explained the Blood Sacrifice Technique to the three leaders.
• Zhang Juzheng challenged the six leaders for withholding information, and Chu Yang entered and revealed that Prince Pingnan’s heir had used a Blood Sacrifice Pearl to corrupt the Dragon Vein.
• Chu Yang sat on the Dragon Throne and declared that he intended to become Emperor, provoking Zhu Wushi’s angry objection.
• Guo Bu Jing, Cao Zhengchun, Yu Huatian, Marquis Zhuge, and Zheng Dongliu supported Chu Yang’s succession, leaving Zhu Wushi alone in opposition.
• Zhu Wushi argued that Chu Yang’s reputation would prevent the people and border generals from accepting him as Emperor.

Chu Yang exposed Zhu Wushi’s crimes and demonic powers, then fought him after Zhu Wushi transformed into a giant demon. Chu Yang emerged from the ruined Hall of Supreme Harmony and slew the demon with one sword.

• Yan Song opposed Prince Xian’s succession, and Chu Yang frightened him into collapsing before Zhu Wushi stirred the officials against Chu Yang.
• Chu Yang exposed Zhu Wushi’s crimes against Gu Santong and the eight great sects, provoking Zhu Wushi to attack with the Absorption Art.
• Chu Yang revealed that Zhu Wushi had absorbed demonic power, and Zhuge Zhengwo helped the others escape the collapsing hall while Chu Yang faced Zhu Wushi alone.
• Chu Yang let the Absorption Art draw in power from many worlds, overwhelming Zhu Wushi and causing him to transform into a giant demon.
• Zhang Juzheng and Hai Rui remained among the officials, and Chu Yang emerged from the ruins and killed the demon with a flash of sword light.

After Chu Yang killed Zhu Wushi, he reorganized the court’s intelligence and military forces and took control as emperor. Li Gexiao returned to the capital with news that Demon Kings had bypassed the Liaodong border and were heading beyond the frontier, threatening the Jianzhou tribes and Liaodong.

• Zhuge Zhengwo praised Chu Yang’s strength, and Chu Yang joked with him while they discussed abolishing morning court.
• Chu Yang rejected Cao Zhengchun’s bid to take over Dragon Guard Villa, merged it with Divine Marquis Manor and the two Depots, revoked Cao Zhengchun’s authority over the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and ordered the Imperial Guards to go to war.
• Lu Xiaofeng, Sikong Zhaixing, and Ximen Chuixue discussed the demon’s destruction and saw the constables and officials rushing from the palace.
• Li Gexiao returned to the capital and learned from Lu Xiaofeng that Chu Yang had taken the throne after the emperor’s death.
• Li Gexiao reported that Demon Kings had sailed past Ten Thousand Miles of Black Ice City toward the Jianzhou tribes, and Lu Xiaofeng warned that Liaodong was in grave danger.

Li Gexiao brought news of the demon race’s movements to Chu Yang as the group discussed the Ming Dynasty’s succession, military plans, and rising demonic threats. Chu Yang prepared to address the new intelligence while the constables learned that he was being treated as the new emperor.

• Li Gexiao told Lu Xiaofeng that the demon race had attacked Jinling and that Jiannu trouble could also return, so Lu Xiaofeng arranged for him to enter the palace and sent Sikong Zhaixing to spread news about Prince Xian’s victory.
• Lu Xiaofeng and Li Gexiao told Ximen Chuixue that Prince Xian had killed one Demon King with his fists, leaving Ximen Chuixue stunned by Chu Yang’s strength and abilities.
• Lu Xiaofeng recruited the sleeping Chai Hu to escort Li Gexiao into the imperial palace.
• The Four Famous Arresters and the Four Great Divine Constables found Chu Yang among the ruins and realized that Zhuge Zhengwo and Guo Bu Jing were addressing him as Your Majesty; Guo Bu Jing asked to resign and join the campaign, but Chu Yang refused.
• Zhuge Zhengwo told his disciples that Zhu Wushi had died after demonic corruption and that Demon Persons were appearing in more criminal cases, while the constables reported a sudden rise in such incidents.
• Chai Hu brought Li Gexiao to Chu Yang, who welcomed him, and Li Gexiao reported the demon race’s movements.