Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “The Root Bone of Trash”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Marshal Chen Dao travels to Jinzhou Headquarters with Lü Zhao, the Scripture Pavilion’s Contract Officer, to find a suitable cultivation technique for Lin Jun.
• Chen Dao repeatedly praises Lin Jun as “remarkable” and humbles himself before Lü Zhao, explaining that Lin Jun is Jinzhou’s future and worth protecting at any cost.
• Upon entering Guanyang Commandery, they discover an astonishing sight: demons and monsters are peacefully constructing houses and rebuilding the ruined city for humans.
• Chen Dao is confused, but the overseeing Demon Exorcists reveal that Lin Jun is responsible. Chen Dao proudly uses this as further proof of Lin Jun’s extraordinary abilities.
• At Headquarters, now transformed from a military camp into a developing town, Chen Dao introduces Lin Jun to Lü Zhao.
• Lü Zhao examines Lin Jun’s Root Bone to determine which cultivation technique suits him. The examination produces an unexpected result: Lin Jun’s Root Bone is so poor that it has no compatibility with any cultivation method.

2. Character Developments

• Chen Dao: Demonstrates deep faith in Lin Jun, treating him as the key to Jinzhou’s long-term security. Despite being injured, he abandons recuperation to personally seek help for Lin Jun. His usually dignified conduct gives way to almost comical pride when showing Lü Zhao Lin Jun’s achievements.
• Lü Zhao: Initially regards Chen Dao’s behavior as excessive and embarrassing, but his skepticism fades after witnessing the demons and monsters rebuilding Guanyang. He develops a favorable impression of Lin Jun’s calm, dignified manner, though he is ultimately baffled by Lin Jun’s Root Bone.
• Lin Jun: Remains composed and respectful when meeting Lü Zhao. He conceals the true reason the demons obey him, claiming that he simply beat them until they submitted. His mysterious power and influence are emphasized, while his apparent lack of cultivation potential creates a major contradiction.
• The demons and monsters: Once dangerous enemies, they now work obediently for humans, suggesting Lin Jun possesses an unusual method of control or an overwhelming hidden power.

3. Significant Themes

• True talent versus conventional measures: Lin Jun’s achievements are extraordinary, yet his Root Bone is judged to be worse than that of an ordinary person. The chapter questions whether innate qualifications truly determine a person’s potential.
• The burden of leadership and sacrifice: Chen Dao is willing to risk his health and dignity because he believes Lin Jun can safeguard Jinzhou for generations.
• Power and submission: The reversal of the normal human-demon relationship highlights Lin Jun’s mysterious authority and the possibility that strength can reshape established social and natural orders.
• Appearance versus reality: Lin Jun appears to possess an impossibly poor foundation, while his practical accomplishments—controlling demons and rebuilding a city—are beyond what conventional cultivation theory can explain.

4. Character Interactions

• Chen Dao pleads with Lü Zhao to support Lin Jun, while Lü Zhao initially criticizes him for compromising his dignity.
• Chen Dao and Lü Zhao bond through their shared history as members of the same household, though Lü Zhao is exasperated by Chen Dao’s extreme devotion to Lin Jun.
• Lin Jun and Lü Zhao meet formally, with Lin Jun’s calm respect earning Lü Zhao’s approval.
• Lü Zhao’s examination of Lin Jun’s Root Bone shifts the mood from admiration to confusion, leaving Chen Dao and the observing Demon Exorcists stunned by the revelation that Lin Jun’s foundation is supposedly “trash.”

Chapter Summary: “Dark Clouds Block Out the Sun”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lü Zhao examines Lin Jun’s innate bones and concludes that they are genuinely “worthless.” Despite this, Lin Jun has cultivated to the threshold of Grandmaster in less than a year, an achievement Lü Zhao finds completely inexplicable.
• Lü Zhao admits that he cannot find any Grandmaster cultivation method suitable for Lin Jun. Lin Jun is disappointed but remains composed, knowing he may find another solution elsewhere.
• To compensate, Lü Zhao offers Lin Jun a martial art free of charge. Lin Jun requests a tracking technique capable of locating Cicada Lord, whose whereabouts have remained hidden.
• Before Lü Zhao can provide it, enormous black clouds suddenly cover all of Jinzhou, plunging the region into darkness. Demons emerge from the clouds and descend across all thirteen commanderies, creating a massive demon calamity.
• Chen Dao recognizes the terrifying presence above the clouds as Cicada Lord and flies up to confront him.
• Cicada Lord blames Chen Dao for the death or capture of his wife, believing Chen Dao’s feigned illness and schemes caused his downfall. He declares his intention to destroy Chen Dao and erase Jinzhou entirely.
• Chen Dao attempts to defend himself with his Human Soul, but he is still badly injured and cannot withstand Cicada Lord for long. He realizes that he may not survive the battle.
• Cicada Lord reveals that his attack is not merely about obtaining a secret treasure. His true purpose is revenge against humanity and to demonstrate the overwhelming power of a Demon Sage.
• Meanwhile, Lü Zhao tells Lin Jun to assist Chen Dao and the people of Jinzhou. Lin Jun hides Lü Zhao in a demon-dug burrow and orders Danglu Lord to protect him.
• As Lin Jun exits the burrow, he hears an increasingly urgent voice calling from the direction of Fufeng Commandery. When he focuses on it, the people of Fufeng Commandery appear before his vision, suggesting a mysterious connection or impending crisis.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Remains calm after learning that his bones are considered worthless. His abnormal cultivation is emphasized, and his priorities show his practical nature: rather than pursuing a prestigious technique, he chooses a useful tracking martial art. He accepts responsibility for protecting Jinzhou and responds to the strange summons from Fufeng.
• Lü Zhao: Becomes deeply troubled by Lin Jun’s situation, recognizing how difficult it will be for him to advance without a suitable Grandmaster method. He also displays trust in Lin Jun by accepting his protection and encouraging him to join the battle.
• Chen Dao: Is revealed to still be seriously injured despite his brief recovery. His earlier schemes have caused Cicada Lord to misunderstand the situation, leaving him facing a deadly enemy while also worrying about Jinzhou’s survival.
• Cicada Lord: Has abandoned restraint after losing his generals and wife. His grief and rage have transformed into a campaign of total vengeance against Chen Dao and humanity. His strength and determination make him a severe threat to Jinzhou.
• Danglu Lord: Is assigned to guard Lü Zhao, demonstrating Lin Jun’s reliance on his subordinate during the unfolding disaster.

Significant Themes

• Defying innate limitations: Lin Jun’s success despite supposedly worthless bones challenges the idea that talent and natural aptitude determine one’s limits.
• Misunderstanding and unintended consequences: Chen Dao’s deception has been interpreted by Cicada Lord as a deliberate scheme against him, turning a complicated conflict into a personal vendetta.
• Revenge versus larger ambitions: Although the demon forces may have broader objectives, Cicada Lord’s immediate motivation is personal grief and hatred.
• Overwhelming calamity: The black clouds and demon invasion create an apocalyptic atmosphere, showing the vulnerability of Jinzhou and its ordinary people.
• Duty and sacrifice: Chen Dao prepares to fight despite his injuries, while Lin Jun leaves safety to help defend the region.

Character Interactions

• Lü Zhao and Chen Dao debate the impossibility of Lin Jun’s talent and cultivation.
• Lü Zhao offers Lin Jun a martial art, and Lin Jun requests a tracking technique to find Cicada Lord.
• Cicada Lord confronts Chen Dao, accusing him of manipulating events and causing his wife’s downfall.
• Chen Dao attempts to resist Cicada Lord with his Human Soul but is gradually overwhelmed.
• Lü Zhao urges Lin Jun to help the defenders, while Lin Jun arranges for Danglu Lord to protect him before responding to the mysterious call from Fufeng Commandery.

Summary of “Retribution”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At Pressing Dragon River in Fufeng Commandery, Jiang Jue and Jiyuan encounter a massive demonic assault while preparing to travel to Headquarters and consult Lin Jun about the Cicada Lord.
• A powerful female demon emerges from the river. She reveals herself as the Liao Du Demon Lord, formerly associated with the Cicada Lord, and declares that Jinzhou must be destroyed because those above it have angered her lord.
• Jiyuan and Jiang Jue recognize that ordinary forces are useless against a Demon Lord. Since help from the General Directorate and Chen Dao is absent, they decide to fight despite the overwhelming odds.
• Jiyuan launches a lightning-enhanced attack and unexpectedly wounds Liao Du, demonstrating that his strength is greater than she anticipated.
• Jiang Jue takes advantage of Jiyuan’s assault and pierces Liao Du from behind, using his blood-energy technique to absorb her vitality.
• Liao Du reveals that her blood energy is poisonous. The energy Jiang Jue absorbed turns into venomous needles inside his body, causing unbearable pain and knocking him unconscious.
• Liao Du then effortlessly defeats both men: she damages Jiyuan’s weapon and sends him crashing through the city wall.
• Realizing he is unlikely to survive, Jiyuan drinks from a small gourd, causing his aura to rise dramatically. He resolves to fight to the death in honor of his identity as a Demon Exorcist.
• Inside Fufeng City, General Chongyue struggles to reassure the trapped civilians. He admits that neither he nor the Demon Exorcism Bureau can oppose demons of this level.
• Chongyue suddenly notices that the temple statue may have moved, suggesting an unexpected intervention or hidden power.

Character Developments

• Jiang Jue: Shows courage and tactical awareness by waiting for the right moment to attack. However, his confidence is shattered when Liao Du’s poison overwhelms him, revealing the danger of fighting a Demon Lord directly.
• Jiyuan: Demonstrates remarkable combat ability by injuring Liao Du despite being only in the Core-Embracing Realm. After being badly wounded, he abandons any hope of survival and prepares to make a final stand, reaffirming his lifelong commitment to demon exorcism.
• Liao Du Demon Lord: Establishes herself as vastly superior to both protagonists. She is powerful, composed, cruel, and confident, yet also calculating; she ends the fight quickly because she fears attracting attention from stronger forces.
• Chongyue: Becomes increasingly desperate and helpless as he faces the destruction of Fufeng City and the inability to protect its civilians. His attention to the moving statue hints that he may soon discover a source of aid.

Significant Themes

• The suffering of ordinary people: The line “when immortals fight, mortals suffer” emphasizes how powerful beings treat common lives as expendable.
• Powerlessness against overwhelming forces: Even elite human warriors and organized demon-hunting institutions are nearly helpless before a true Demon Lord.
• Duty and sacrifice: Jiyuan’s willingness to fight despite certain death reflects the honor and responsibility associated with being a Demon Exorcist.
• Retribution and collateral destruction: Liao Du’s attack is motivated by vengeance against Jinzhou’s higher powers, but ordinary citizens are made to pay for offenses they did not commit.
• Hidden hope: The apparent movement of the temple statue introduces a possible supernatural counterforce and creates suspense amid the characters’ otherwise hopeless situation.

Character Interactions

• Jiyuan and Jiang Jue cooperate instinctively, combining lightning attacks and blood-energy absorption to briefly injure Liao Du.
• Liao Du taunts both men, casually explaining her identity and treating their resistance as temporary amusement.
• Jiyuan and Liao Du exchange opposing views of death: she considers a quick death preferable, while he insists on dying in the service of his duty.
• Chongyue interacts with frightened civilians and is pressured to find a solution he knows he does not possess. His final observation of the statue shifts the focus toward a possible new participant in the conflict.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiyuan, having exhausted all his potential, is defeated by Liao Du Demon Lord. His spear is shattered, his body is filled with poison, and he collapses near death.
• Liao Du reveals that Jiyuan only forced her to assume her true form—a gigantic jellyfish-like creature—and that she was never seriously threatened.
• She enters Fufeng City intending to devour its million inhabitants. In a newly built temple, she finds citizens and Demon Exorcists hiding around a statue of Lin Jun.
• Liao Du mocks the humans’ faith and demands that they worship her. When she attacks Lin Jun’s statue, the statue unexpectedly comes alive and speaks.
• The statue, inhabited by Lin Jun’s consciousness, kicks Liao Du Demon Lord out of the temple and sends her crashing through houses and the city wall.
• The terrified citizens and Demon Exorcists rejoice, believing that “Lord Lin” has manifested to save them.
• Lin Jun discovers that the secret treasure allows his consciousness to inhabit a statue and draw upon the Incense Power generated by worship. He realizes this has effectively transformed him into an immortal god-like being.
• Lin Jun reassures the Demon Exorcists and walks into the darkness to confront Liao Du, radiating golden light and restoring hope throughout the city.

Character Developments

• Jiyuan: Demonstrates immense courage by fighting Liao Du to protect civilians, but is left critically wounded and near death. His defeat emphasizes the overwhelming strength of the Demon Lord.
• Liao Du Demon Lord: Reveals her cruel, predatory worldview. She sees humans as livestock and enjoys humiliating them, but is abruptly humbled when Lin Jun’s statue strikes her.
• Lin Jun: Gains a new form of power through the secret treasure. By merging with a worshipped statue, he can use Incense Power to manifest physically and potentially reach terrifying levels of strength.
• Chongyue: Moves from desperation to astonishment and renewed confidence after witnessing Lin Jun’s manifestation. His faith in Lin Jun deepens, and he recognizes the political and religious consequences of this miracle.
• The citizens and Demon Exorcists: Their fear and helplessness transform into fervent hope and worship once Lin Jun appears.

Significant Themes

• Faith and divine power: Human belief produces Incense Power, allowing Lin Jun to act as a godlike protector.
• Hope amid catastrophe: Lin Jun’s arrival turns a hopeless massacre into a moment of salvation, showing how faith can sustain people during disaster.
• Humanity versus the law of the jungle: Liao Du believes only the strong deserve to survive, while Jiyuan and Lin Jun represent protection, sacrifice, and responsibility toward the weak.
• The birth of a deity: Lin Jun’s transformation blurs the boundary between martial artist and immortal god, suggesting that worship can create or empower divinity.
• Reversal of power: The chapter dramatically shifts from Liao Du’s complete dominance to her humiliation, establishing Lin Jun as a new and potentially overwhelming force.

Character Interactions

• Liao Du taunts and defeats Jiyuan, criticizing his decision to protect ordinary people.
• She confronts the citizens and Demon Exorcists in the temple, attempting to force them to worship her.
• When Liao Du attacks the statue, Lin Jun manifests through it and immediately retaliates, kicking her out of the city.
• Lin Jun reassures the defeated Demon Exorcists, while Chongyue observes his manifestation with awe and begins to view him as a genuine heavenly protector.

Chapter Summary: Demon Slaying in Fufeng

Key Plot Points and Events

• Jiang Jue brings the severely wounded Jiyuan beneath a tree and gives him his last precious medicine. Jiyuan is barely alive after exhausting all his strength.
• Jiang Jue, weakened by a spreading poison, heads toward Fufeng City to investigate.
• The city wall suddenly collapses from within as Demon Lord Liao Du is hurled out of the city. She is gravely injured, with half her face destroyed and her body badly damaged.
• A glowing figure emerges from Fufeng City: General Lin Jun. Jiang Jue is shocked because Lin Jun should have been at Headquarters, far too distant to have arrived normally.
• Liao Du realizes Lin Jun is not a normal living martial artist. He has no detectable life force and appears to be a being formed from incense rather than flesh and blood.
• Lin Jun attacks without explanation. Relying entirely on overwhelming physical strength, he repeatedly evades Liao Du’s tentacles and kicks her through the air and into the ground.
• Jiang Jue and Jiyuan watch in disbelief as Lin Jun dominates the Demon Lord without allowing her to counterattack.
• Lin Jun’s immense power comes from Incense Power gathered from an entire prefecture over more than a hundred days and made usable through a Demon Kingdom Secret Treasure.
• Although this explosive power cannot last long, it is sufficient. Lin Jun finally pins Liao Du to the ground, leaving her too weak even to scream.

Character Developments

• Jiang Jue: Despite severe poisoning and exhaustion, he continues acting protectively toward Jiyuan and investigates the crisis. His shock at Lin Jun’s strength highlights how far beyond ordinary martial standards the battle has become.
• Jiyuan: Initially near death, he briefly regains enough vitality to stand when he sees Lin Jun overpowering the Demon Lord. His reaction shows the battle’s miraculous impact.
• Lin Jun: Revealed to be a powerful Incense Body rather than a conventional martial artist. He abandons technique in favor of sheer physical force and demonstrates an overwhelming, temporary combat form fueled by accumulated Incense Power.
• Demon Lord Liao Du: Once confident and prepared to destroy Jinzhou, she becomes shocked, enraged, and ultimately helpless. Her pride is shattered as she is treated like a plaything by Lin Jun.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength versus technique: Lin Jun’s power is based on raw force rather than martial skill, embodying the idea of breaking through every technique with sheer strength.
• Sacrifice and endurance: Jiang Jue and Jiyuan persist despite crippling injuries, while Lin Jun burns through a limited reserve of power for a decisive victory.
• Unexpected protection: The Demon Lord assumes ordinary humans and martial sects will not interfere, but Lin Jun’s sudden arrival overturns her plans.
• The limits of temporary power: Lin Jun’s strength is extraordinary but unsustainable, emphasizing the urgency and cost of his attack.
• Human-made power confronting demonic authority: Incense gathered from ordinary people becomes powerful enough to suppress a Demon Lord and challenge the Demon Sage’s plans.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Jue cares for Jiyuan and urges him to rest while he investigates Fufeng City.
• Jiang Jue and Jiyuan react together with astonishment to Lin Jun’s unexpected appearance and overwhelming abilities.
• Liao Du attempts to question and warn Lin Jun, invoking the Demon Sage’s plans, but Lin Jun ignores her and responds with immediate violence.
• Lin Jun and Liao Du engage in a one-sided battle, with Liao Du evading briefly before being repeatedly struck and finally pinned down.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun decisively defeats Liao Du Demon Lord outside Fufeng City. His overwhelming physical strength destroys her body, neutralizes her poison and tentacles, and leaves her unable to resist or even speak.
• He uses the last of his Incense Power in a final hammer-like strike, pulverizing the Demon Lord, her corpse, and even her Demon Core. The system confirms that he has slain an Early Grandmaster Realm demon and awards him 150,000 experience.
• Lin Jun complains that the demon’s body was too fragile, since he gains only experience and cannot absorb her soul or Demon Core to strengthen his Divine Soul.
• The Demon Lord’s death causes the black clouds covering Jinzhou to disperse. Demons throughout the region lose morale, while Demon Exorcists regain their strength and fight more fiercely.
• In the aftermath, the leaderless demons are exterminated within half a day, officially ending the demon calamity in Jinzhou.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun demonstrates overwhelming power and becomes a source of hope and security for the people and Demon Exorcists of Jinzhou. However, his Incense Power is completely depleted, and the temporary body he controls begins to fail.
• Liao Du Demon Lord experiences genuine fear for the first time. Her confidence in her poison, physical abilities, and status as a Demon Lord collapses when none of them can affect Lin Jun. She dies without discovering his identity or origins.
• Jiyuan, already near death from age, poisoning, and battle injuries, unexpectedly breaks through the bottleneck preventing him from becoming a Grandmaster. The battle exhausts his potential but also frees him from his long-standing limits.
• Jiang Jue gains renewed admiration and trust in Lin Jun after witnessing him save Fufeng and destroy the Demon Lord. He is also stunned by Jiyuan’s promise to serve Lin Jun.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength versus strategy: Liao Du’s poison and supernatural abilities are useless against Lin Jun’s pure, overpowering force.
• Hope restored through leadership: Lin Jun’s victory changes the atmosphere across Jinzhou, inspiring both civilians and Demon Exorcists.
• Survival and transformation through crisis: Jiyuan’s near-death experience becomes the opportunity that enables his long-awaited advancement.
• The cost of victory: Lin Jun wins completely but expends all his Incense Power and loses valuable resources, including the Demon Core and the chance to absorb the Demon Lord’s soul.
• Recognition and loyalty: Jiyuan’s offer to serve Lin Jun for a century reflects the profound respect earned through Lin Jun’s intervention.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun saves Jiang Jue and Jiyuan, then checks on their condition after killing the Demon Lord.
• Jiang Jue directs Lin Jun’s attention to Jiyuan, recognizing that the old general is in critical condition.
• Lin Jun correctly identifies Jiyuan’s impending breakthrough and congratulates him, surprising Jiang Jue.
• Jiyuan vows to serve Lin Jun for one hundred years if he successfully becomes a Grandmaster, though Lin Jun leaves before formally responding.
• Lin Jun’s consciousness ultimately departs as his Incense-formed body weakens, while his victory brings sunlight and peace back to Jinzhou.

Chapter Summary:

Cicada Lord’s Ferocity

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun awakens in the underground cavern after his consciousness returns from possessing an incense-powered statue.
• He reveals that he remotely slew Demon Lord Liao Du from roughly a thousand miles away. The feat resembles Soul Departure, but instead of consuming his own soul, it uses the Incense Power stored in the statue.
• The ability leaves Lin Jun mentally exhausted and disoriented, suggesting that it cannot be used repeatedly in a short time.
• The black clouds covering the sky begin to disappear, confirming that Liao Du has been killed.
• Lin Jun orders Danglu Lord to guard the cavern and rushes to help Marshal Chen Dao, who is battling Cicada Lord.
• Chen Dao is already severely weakened by old injuries and Cicada Lord’s relentless attacks. Cicada Lord mistakenly believes Chen is pretending to be injured and is hiding a trump card.
• When Cicada Lord realizes Liao Du has died, he decides to finish Chen Dao immediately. Just as he is about to strike Chen with his golden staff, Lin Jun arrives and deflects the attack with a treasured blade.
• Cicada Lord initially dismisses Lin Jun as a low-level Core-Embracing Realm martial artist, but Lin Jun’s defiance enrages him.
• Cicada Lord prepares to reveal his terrifying true form—the Six-Winged Fierce Cicada—and Chen Dao warns Lin Jun to flee before the battle becomes hopelessly dangerous.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Demonstrates an extraordinary new ability: remotely controlling an incense-powered body to kill a distant demon. Although weakened afterward, he remains calm and immediately chooses to risk himself to save Chen Dao.
• Danglu Lord: Becomes increasingly shocked by Lin Jun’s abilities. His assumptions about Lin Jun’s limits are repeatedly overturned.
• Lü Zhao: Continues observing Lin Jun with intense curiosity, particularly because of Lin Jun’s power to tame and command powerful fiends and demons.
• Chen Dao: Revealed to be badly injured and nearly exhausted, despite Cicada Lord’s suspicion that he is pretending to be weak. He remains protective of Lin Jun and urgently warns him about the danger of fighting a Demon Lord.
• Cicada Lord: Shown as powerful, aggressive, and suspicious. His caution toward Chen Dao causes him to misread the situation, while Lin Jun’s indifference to his intimidation provokes him into revealing his true strength.

Significant Themes

• Hidden power and mistaken judgment: Cicada Lord repeatedly misjudges both Chen Dao’s condition and Lin Jun’s capabilities.
• The cost of extraordinary abilities: Lin Jun’s remote demon-slaying technique is powerful but leaves him mentally burdened, emphasizing that great power still has limitations.
• Courage versus overwhelming strength: Lin Jun knowingly stands before a Demon Lord despite being vastly weaker, while Chen Dao recognizes the danger and tries to protect him.
• Appearance versus true nature: Cicada Lord’s human form is only a disguise; his true form represents the full extent of his monstrous power. The same contrast appears in Lin Jun’s seemingly ordinary cultivation and his extraordinary hidden abilities.

Character Interactions

• Danglu Lord and Lü Zhao question Lin Jun after his mysterious trance, but his explanation leaves them stunned.
• Lin Jun commands Danglu Lord to defend the cavern before departing to aid Chen Dao.
• Cicada Lord taunts Chen Dao, accusing him of faking his injuries, while Chen Dao internally mocks Cicada Lord’s inability to recognize the truth.
• Lin Jun interrupts Cicada Lord’s attempted killing blow and shields Chen Dao.
• Cicada Lord tries to intimidate Lin Jun into standing aside, but Lin Jun refuses to respond, intensifying the confrontation.
• Chen Dao supports himself on Lin Jun and warns him that Cicada Lord’s transformation will make the battle extremely dangerous.

Chapter Summary: “False Grandmaster”

Key Plot Points and Events

• As the battle in Jinzhou winds down, Chen Dao discovers that Lin Jun has fought Cicada Lord—a powerful Grandmaster-level demon—to a near standstill.
• Lin Jun has suffered little serious injury, while Cicada Lord’s true form, a massive Six-Winged Fierce Cicada, has lost four wings and much of its body.
• Realizing that continuing the battle could cost him his life, Cicada Lord transforms into human form and offers to swear upon his essence blood that he will not enter Jinzhou for a thousand years.
• Chen Dao considers this an excellent outcome, since even forcing a Demon Lord away would bring Jinzhou generations of peace. He urges Lin Jun to accept the agreement.
• Lin Jun hesitates because he does not want to let Cicada Lord escape after fighting him for so long. He begins using his simulation ability to search for a way to advance beyond the limits of the Heavenly Demon Core-Devouring Art.
• After simulating five hundred years of cultivation and repeatedly consuming vast numbers of Demon Cores, Lin Jun discovers an unusual path and advances into a state called a “False Grandmaster.”
• His aura abruptly transforms into one matching the Grandmaster Realm. Deathly energy spreads across the battlefield, killing nearby plants and living creatures.
• Chen Dao realizes that Lin Jun has effectively become Jinzhou’s second Grandmaster, despite lacking a conventional Grandmaster cultivation technique or having shattered his Golden Core.
• Lin Jun explains internally that he is using the immense energy of his Human Core to sustain Grandmaster-level power. Though this places a great strain on him, his reserves are sufficient.
• Cicada Lord is horrified by Lin Jun’s sudden breakthrough and immediately prepares to use his life-saving escape technique.
• Lin Jun attacks first with his horse-chopping saber, unleashing the full power of a Grandmaster strike as the chapter ends.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Demonstrates extraordinary combat ability by matching Cicada Lord while still in the Core-Embracing Realm. Rather than accept a safe compromise, he pushes beyond the normal cultivation system and becomes a False Grandmaster. His confidence and contempt toward Cicada Lord become justified, though his new state is abnormal and likely unstable or costly.
• Cicada Lord: Changes from arrogant and dismissive to cautious and fearful after realizing Lin Jun can challenge him. He abandons thoughts of revenge for the moment and attempts to secure his survival through negotiation and escape.
• Chen Dao: Moves from preparing to die alongside Cicada Lord to witnessing an unprecedented breakthrough. His excitement and hope for Jinzhou are immense, as he recognizes Lin Jun’s transformation as a potential turning point for the region.

Significant Themes

• Breaking established limits: Lin Jun overturns the accepted barrier between Core-Embracing and Grandmaster cultivation, suggesting that the world’s rules can be circumvented through persistence and unusual methods.
• Power versus survival: Cicada Lord’s offer reflects the practical importance of preserving one’s life, while Lin Jun’s refusal to settle reveals his determination to eliminate future threats.
• Hope for Jinzhou: The appearance of a second Grandmaster offers Jinzhou protection and the possibility of long-term peace after years of demonic danger.
• The price of extraordinary power: Although Lin Jun reaches Grandmaster-level strength, he has not followed the normal path. His reliance on his Golden Core to sustain this power hints at future limitations or dangers.
• Reversal of expectations: A supposedly impossible breakthrough occurs instantly, transforming the balance of power and leaving both allies and enemies stunned.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun and Cicada Lord: Their relationship shifts from evenly matched opponents to one-sided danger after Lin Jun’s transformation. Cicada Lord tries to negotiate, but Lin Jun chooses to attack.
• Lin Jun and Chen Dao: Chen Dao trusts Lin Jun enough to suggest accepting Cicada Lord’s offer, but Lin Jun ultimately makes his own decision. Chen Dao then becomes an awestruck witness to Lin Jun’s unprecedented advancement.
• Cicada Lord and Chen Dao: Cicada Lord still wants Chen Dao dead, but his immediate priority becomes escape. His proposed thousand-year truce is effectively an attempt to postpone their conflict and preserve his life.

Chapter Summary: “Grandmaster”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the battle, Cicada Lord’s physical shell is left shattered, while Lin Jun pursues his fleeing body across the eastern border.
• Lin Jun easily catches Cicada Lord despite the demon’s enhanced speed. He tears off all six of his wings, pins him down, and brutally beats him to death.
• Before delivering the final blow, Lin Jun reveals that he was responsible for killing Yu Tu, Cicada Lord’s wife. Cicada Lord realizes he had misunderstood the situation and dies in despair.
• Lin Jun gains 150,000 experience points from killing the Early Grandmaster Realm demon. Cicada Lord’s exceptionally complete Demon Core is also successfully absorbed by Nine-Tail.
• A mysterious purple-robed Daoist appears from the Eastern Sea. Although Lin Jun cannot sense any aura from him, he instinctively recognizes the overwhelming danger he poses.
• The Daoist gives Lin Jun a purple jade pendant and declares that Lin Jun will eventually join the Yin Ruins Sect, then disappears without explanation.
• Troubled by the encounter, Lin Jun retreats to a hidden cave. He remains only a False Grandmaster, but begins considering whether sufficient experience might allow him to forcefully reach the true Grandmaster Realm.
• Lin Jun extracts and absorbs Cicada Lord’s soul. The Golden Core shatters, forming a Divine Soul that rapidly takes on Lin Jun’s appearance.
• From Cicada Lord’s soul, Lin Jun obtains the demon talent “Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell.” By spending 80,000 experience points to optimize it, he transforms the talent into the Grandmaster cultivation technique Form-Shedding Technique.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun demonstrates a vast increase in strength, completely dominating and killing Cicada Lord through physical combat. His victory confirms that he has surpassed ordinary Grandmasters, despite technically being only a False Grandmaster.
• His confidence is shaken by the appearance of the purple-robed Daoist. For the first time, Lin Jun feels completely powerless before another individual and realizes that even his current strength may be insignificant in the greater world.
• Lin Jun continues to rely on his system and soul-absorption abilities, gaining both experience and a potentially powerful new cultivation technique.
• Chen Dao is stunned by Lin Jun’s power and feels both relieved and dejected: Lin Jun can now share Jinzhou’s burden, but the gap between them is immense.
• Lü Zhao is shocked by the destroyed mountain range and by Chen Dao’s suggestion that Lin Jun may have surpassed the limits of his cultivation technique.
• Cicada Lord experiences humiliation, despair, and disbelief as he is physically overpowered and learns that Lin Jun killed Yu Tu.

Significant Themes

• The limits of cultivation: Lin Jun’s advancement raises the possibility that one can break beyond the predetermined limits of a cultivation technique, challenging established beliefs about the Grandmaster Realm.
• Power and insignificance: Despite defeating a Demon Lord, Lin Jun immediately encounters someone vastly stronger, reinforcing the idea that there is always “a sky beyond the sky.”
• The cost of strength: Lin Jun’s success brings greater power but also greater anxiety, as the mysterious Daoist reveals the existence of forces far beyond his understanding.
• Death and transformation: Cicada Lord’s death is not merely an end; his soul becomes a source of new power, allowing Lin Jun to form a Divine Soul and acquire a superior cultivation technique.
• Humiliation and revenge: Cicada Lord’s downfall is especially bitter because he dies in a manner he considers degrading and learns too late who truly killed his wife.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun and Cicada Lord: Their confrontation is one-sided. Lin Jun pursues, restrains, mutilates, and kills Cicada Lord, revealing Yu Tu’s death just before the final blow.
• Chen Dao and Lü Zhao: Chen Dao shares his doubts about Lin Jun’s unprecedented breakthrough. Lü Zhao realizes that he may have missed a momentous event and is alarmed by the evidence of Lin Jun’s power.
• Lin Jun and the purple-robed Daoist: The Daoist treats Lin Jun’s future allegiance to the Yin Ruins Sect as an inevitability, gives him a jade pendant, and vanishes before Lin Jun can respond. The encounter leaves Lin Jun deeply unsettled.
• Lin Jun and Cicada Lord’s soul: After death, Cicada Lord offers no meaningful resistance. Lin Jun absorbs his soul, converting the demon’s remaining power into a Divine Soul and the Form-Shedding Technique.

Chapter Summary: “You Can Go Home”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun reaches the true Grandmaster Realm and experiences a profound connection with nature. He realizes that he has fully integrated into the world and can now separate his Human Soul from his body.
• Using this ability, he surveys Jinzhou from the skies, observing Demon Exorcists cleaning up the battlefield, Fufeng Commandery rebuilding, and his cousin practicing martial arts in Brocade City.
• Lin Jun studies the Grandmaster martial art Form-Shedding Technique, derived from Cicada Lord’s Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell. The technique allows him to repeatedly discard and recreate his body, making each new body stronger and more complete.
• The technique requires nine transformations, each demanding enormous energy and causing a prolonged, painful process. Lin Jun can shorten the process through the panel by spending accumulated experience, but he has not yet gathered enough energy to begin.
• Although he briefly enjoys his new power by resting on the mountain for a day and night, Lin Jun remains wary of the purple-robed Daoist and the Yin Ruins Sect. He distrusts the Daoist’s arrogance and senses that he may not be benevolent.
• Lin Jun returns to Headquarters by flying, revealing that his Grandmaster power has fully stabilized. He announces that the Demon Lord—Cicada Lord—is dead.
• The Demon Exorcists celebrate because the threat to Jinzhou has been eliminated and they can finally leave the dangerous borderlands and return home.
• Chen Dao thanks Lin Jun on behalf of Jinzhou. He explains that Lü Zhao has already departed but left a favorable impression of Lin Jun and may offer him guidance later.
• Chen Dao promises to report Lin Jun’s achievements to the Capital City so that he can receive appropriate rewards.
• The chapter ends with Lin Jun showing Chen Dao the purple jade left behind by the purple-robed Daoist and asking if he knows what it is.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Fully enters and adapts to the Grandmaster Realm, gaining soul projection, immense speed, flight, and precise control over his power. He becomes more confident and powerful but remains cautious about future threats, particularly the Yin Ruins Sect and the purple-robed Daoist. His Form-Shedding Technique offers the possibility of eventually becoming a warrior without weaknesses.
• Chen Dao: Continues to act as a responsible leader and representative of Jinzhou. He recognizes Lin Jun’s extraordinary growth and expresses sincere gratitude for saving the region.
• Lü Zhao: Though absent from the chapter, he is shown to have taken an interest in Lin Jun and may become a future mentor or influential ally.
• The Demon Exorcists: Their fear and exhaustion give way to relief and joy once they learn that Cicada Lord is dead. Their desire to return home emphasizes the prolonged burden of the campaign.
• The Purple-Robed Daoist: Remains an important unresolved threat. His confidence that Lin Jun will eventually join the Yin Ruins Sect and the ominous impression he leaves on Lin Jun suggest future conflict.

Significant Themes

• Transformation and rebirth: The Form-Shedding Technique symbolizes Lin Jun’s continual evolution, with each discarded body representing a step toward perfection.
• Power and responsibility: Although Lin Jun enjoys his new Grandmaster abilities, he quickly returns to his duties and focuses on threats rather than indulging in power.
• Homecoming and relief: The Demon Exorcists’ excitement about returning home highlights the emotional cost of war and the importance of safety and belonging.
• Hidden danger beneath victory: Cicada Lord’s death brings peace to Jinzhou, but the purple-robed Daoist and the Yin Ruins Sect establish that greater threats remain.
• Human and demonic influences: Lin Jun’s connection to Nine-Tail and his demon-like instincts shape his judgment, particularly his distrust of the purple-robed Daoist.

Important Character Interactions

• Lin Jun observes his cousin and Yang Wan from afar through his Human Soul, showing his continued connection to family despite his growing power.
• He reassures a Demon Exorcist that the danger is over, telling him he can return to Brocade City permanently. The officer spreads the news, triggering celebrations throughout Headquarters.
• Chen Dao formally thanks Lin Jun, and Lin Jun accepts the gratitude without false modesty.
• Chen Dao discusses Lü Zhao’s favorable opinion of Lin Jun and promises to secure official recognition and rewards for him.
• Lin Jun presents the mysterious purple jade to Chen Dao, creating the chapter’s final unanswered question and setting up the next development.

Chapter Summary: Secrets of the Previous Dynasty

Key Plot Points and Events

• After seeing Lin Jun’s purple jade pendant, Chen Dao reveals hidden history about the Demon Exorcism Bureau, the Flame Dynasty, and the mysterious Yin Ruins Sect.
• The Demon Exorcism Bureau was originally Great Yan’s martial institution, created to suppress demons and protect civilians. Its forces were gradually devastated by endless warfare, while its younger generation failed to mature before the older experts died.
• The Yin Ruins Sect, already powerful, avoided fighting demons and focused on cultivation. As the Flame Dynasty weakened, the sect surpassed it in strength and eventually overthrew it, establishing the Yin Dynasty.
• The Demon Exorcism Bureau was allowed to survive because the Yin Ruins Sect did not want to personally fight demons and still feared the Bureau’s remaining top-tier experts. The two sides reached an uneasy balance:
  • The Bureau remained responsible for fighting demons.
  • The Yin Ruins Sect controlled the nation and absorbed its cultivation resources.
  • The Bureau maintained nominal obedience while preserving its independence.
• Chen Dao explains that the Yin Ruins Sect assists the Bureau against powerful demons not out of loyalty, but to protect its access to Great Yin’s resources.
• The true “price” of this assistance is revealed: once Lin Jun reaches the Capital City and becomes recognized as a Grandmaster, the Yin Ruins Sect will attempt to recruit him.
• Lin Jun will effectively face two choices:
  1. Stay with the Demon Exorcism Bureau, continue risking his life against demons, and possibly die in battle.
  2. Join the Yin Ruins Sect, gain access to the resources of the entire nation, and cultivate in relative safety.
• Chen Dao urges Lin Jun to think carefully but clearly suspects that the Yin Ruins Sect’s offer will draw him away from the Bureau.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun demonstrates strong insight despite his modest assessment of his own talent. He quickly understands that the Yin Ruins Sect’s “choice” is essentially coercive recruitment.
• His status as a Grandmaster changes his position dramatically: he is now valuable enough to be claimed by the most powerful faction in Great Yin.
• Chen Dao reveals his deep resentment toward the Yin Ruins Sect. Although he speaks calmly, his disdain stems from the Bureau’s subordination to a sect it considers inferior.
• Chen Dao also shows personal concern for Lin Jun, recognizing that Lin Jun’s likely departure may end their current relationship and cooperation.

Significant Themes

• Duty versus self-preservation: The Bureau represents sacrifice and responsibility, while the Yin Ruins Sect offers safety, power, and personal advancement.
• Political hypocrisy and exploitation: The Yin Ruins Sect presents its recruitment as a voluntary choice, but the unequal options make the decision heavily manipulated.
• The cost of war: The Flame Dynasty’s aggressive campaign against demons destroyed its strongest generation and created the conditions for its downfall.
• Institutional pride and resentment: The Bureau’s insistence on independence reflects its contempt for sects, while its forced cooperation with the Yin Ruins Sect creates lasting bitterness.
• Power and historical succession: Dynasties rise and fall according to the balance between military strength, cultivation resources, and the ability to replace fallen generations.

Character Interactions

• Chen Dao uses the jade pendant as the starting point for a serious conversation with Lin Jun, treating him as someone now worthy of learning restricted secrets.
• Lin Jun questions the apparent contradiction between the Yin Ruins Sect’s hostility toward the Bureau and its assistance against demons.
• Chen Dao explains the sect’s self-interested motives, then confronts Lin Jun with the personal consequence of the arrangement: the sect intends to claim him.
• Their exchange ends with Chen Dao’s warning and implicit farewell, as both understand that Lin Jun may soon leave the Demon Exorcism Bureau for the Yin Ruins Sect.

Chapter Summary: “A Rare Vacation”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun and Chen Dao discuss the conflict between the Demon Exorcism Bureau and the Yin Ruins Sect. Although the Sect seeks to control the Bureau and turn it into a puppet, the Bureau refuses to yield.
• Chen Dao explains that the Bureau’s true foundation is the people rather than any dynasty. Its purpose has always been to protect ordinary citizens from demons, regardless of which regime rules.
• After returning from the border, Lin Jun is granted a month-long vacation in Brocade City. He releases Danglu Lord after returning his blood essence, while the other captured demons are forced to perform construction work in Guanyang Commandery.
• Lin Jun visits the Yang Residence and reunites with Yang Yan and several old acquaintances. A celebratory meal becomes a relaxed gathering filled with drinking, jokes, and camaraderie.
• Lin Jun gives He Jing refined metal from a Demon Lord’s weapon to replace the sword he previously broke. He also encourages Chen Feng to cultivate, implicitly recognizing him as one of his people.
• During the gathering, Lin Jun learns that news of his supposed future appointment as a Marshal has spread throughout Jinzhou. He realizes the announcement may have been intended to pressure him into remaining with the Demon Exorcism Bureau rather than joining the Yin Ruins Sect.
• At Bureau headquarters, Chen Dao angrily confronts Bai Jie for spreading the news without Lin Jun’s consent. Bai Jie admits she did it because she believes Lin Jun would waste his talent by joining the Yin Ruins Sect and fears he would lose his drive to fight demons.
• Chen Dao believes Bai Jie’s interference may have the opposite effect. By trying to force Lin Jun’s decision, she risks alienating him and pushing him toward the Yin Ruins Sect.
• Chen Dao rushes to the Yang Residence to apologize, accompanied by Bai Jie and Zuo Huai, who hopes to repair the situation.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Shows a rare period of relaxation and warmth with his family and friends. Although he admires the Bureau’s idealism, he remains independent and wary of being manipulated. He also demonstrates generosity and loyalty by rewarding He Jing and supporting Chen Feng.
• Chen Dao: Reveals his sincere respect for Lin Jun and the Bureau’s principles. He becomes furious when Bai Jie undermines Lin Jun’s freedom of choice and takes personal responsibility for repairing the damage.
• Bai Jie: Acts out of genuine concern for Lin Jun, viewing him as an exceptional weapon against demons. However, her protective instincts lead her to manipulate public opinion, showing that she misunderstands human motives and individual choice.
• Yang Yan: Treats Lin Jun warmly but has become more deferential because of Lin Jun’s growing status. Their reunion restores a sense of family and normalcy.
• He Jing and Chen Feng: He Jing’s earlier fear and respect for Lin Jun are emphasized through his gratitude for the replacement sword. Chen Feng receives public encouragement that effectively confirms Lin Jun’s support.
• Zuo Huai: Recognizes his master Bai Jie’s mistake and tries to help mediate, acknowledging the cultural and psychological differences between demons and humans.

Significant Themes

• Duty versus personal choice: The Bureau believes duty should serve the people, but its attempt to retain Lin Jun risks violating his autonomy.
• Idealism and sacrifice: The Demon Exorcism Bureau is portrayed as an idealistic institution dedicated to protecting the public rather than serving political power.
• Manipulation and unintended consequences: Bai Jie’s attempt to secure Lin Jun’s loyalty through public pressure may drive him away instead.
• Human and demonic perspectives: Bai Jie’s actions highlight the gap between demonic thinking and human emotional needs, particularly the human desire to make independent choices.
• Home and belonging: Lin Jun’s return to Brocade City and the Yang Residence gives him a temporary refuge from political conflict and reminds him of his personal connections.

Important Character Interactions

• Lin Jun and Chen Dao share a candid discussion about the Bureau’s ideals and the Yin Ruins Sect.
• Lin Jun reunites affectionately with Yang Yan and invites old friends to a meal.
• He Jing expresses admiration and fear toward Lin Jun, while Lin Jun repays him with a valuable gift.
• Lin Jun quietly endorses Chen Feng, strengthening their relationship.
• Chen Dao and Bai Jie have a fierce confrontation over her unauthorized attempt to bind Lin Jun to the Bureau.
• Zuo Huai follows Chen Dao and Bai Jie, hoping to apologize and prevent the situation from escalating.

Chapter Summary: “Going to the Capital City”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After parting from his former companions, Lin Jun returns to the Yang Residence and questions Yang Wan about her unusual position in the Demon Exorcism Bureau.
• Yang Wan reveals that, as a disciple of the Yin Ruins Sect, she has been secretly serving in the Bureau. However, once they return to the Capital City, she will likely have to leave because the truth can no longer remain hidden.
• Lin Jun asks whether Yang Wan actually wants to stay in the Bureau. She confirms that she does, believing that once she has taken up a weapon, she must be prepared to risk her life fighting demons.
• Later that night, Marshal Chen Dao visits Lin Jun and urges him to travel to the Capital City immediately, before news of recent events spreads further and public opinion worsens. Lin Jun agrees without resistance.
• Zuo Huai then visits to apologize for his master’s role in the situation and advises Lin Jun not to join the Yin Ruins Sect. He explains that although the Bureau is more dangerous, exhausting, and materially inferior, it offers Lin Jun the chance to continue fighting demons and has greater long-term meaning.
• Lin Jun ultimately leaves for the Capital City, reaffirming his path with the Demon Exorcism Bureau.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun remains calm and pragmatic. He does not care about public opinion and readily agrees to Chen Dao’s plan. His thoughts also reveal that he has no real interest in the Yin Ruins Sect, since his strength comes from absorbing demon corpses and he needs continued access to demons.
• Yang Wan shows a strong personal commitment to demon-hunting. Though the Yin Ruins Sect offers better cultivation opportunities, she prefers the Bureau because it allows her to fight and risk her life directly.
• Chen Dao feels responsible for the problems surrounding Lin Jun and tries to protect him by moving him to the Capital City before rumors spread.
• Zuo Huai demonstrates loyalty and concern toward both his master and Lin Jun. Despite recognizing the Bureau’s disadvantages, he sincerely hopes Lin Jun will remain where his abilities can be used against demons.

Significant Themes

• Duty versus personal advancement: The Yin Ruins Sect represents superior cultivation and security, while the Bureau represents danger, sacrifice, and active service.
• Choosing one’s path: Yang Wan and Lin Jun both favor the path of combat and responsibility over comfort or material benefit.
• Public opinion versus personal conviction: Chen Dao worries about rumors damaging Lin Jun’s state of mind, but Lin Jun insists that outside judgment does not matter to him.
• The value of practical purpose: Lin Jun’s power and future depend on continued encounters with demons, making the Bureau the only place suited to his unusual abilities.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun and Yang Wan discuss her secret affiliation with the Yin Ruins Sect and her desire to remain in the Bureau.
• Chen Dao privately asks Lin Jun to accompany him to the Capital City, accepting responsibility for the situation.
• Zuo Huai apologizes on behalf of his master and attempts to persuade Lin Jun to reject the Yin Ruins Sect, though Lin Jun’s silence suggests his decision is already made.
• The chapter ends with Lin Jun entering the Capital City, prepared to continue along the path of the Demon Exorcism Bureau.

Chapter Summary: “Meeting the Martial Alliance Again”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun and Marshal Chen Dao rush from Jinzhou to the Capital City after a Demon Lord emerges and the region falls into severe crisis. They travel on demon horses, arriving exhausted and disheveled.
• Chen Dao heads directly to the General Directorate to report the Demon Lord and seek assistance, while advising Lin Jun not to worry about Jinzhou when the time comes for him to make an important choice.
• Lin Jun stays at an inn, where he is approached by Yangcheng, a descendant of the Qinhua Island Master and representative of the Martial Alliance.
• Yangcheng assumes that Chen Dao and Lin Jun have come to beg Qinhua Island for reinforcements. Lin Jun deliberately acts calm and pretends not to understand Yangcheng’s hints, refusing to ask for help or negotiate.
• Frustrated by Lin Jun’s composure, Yangcheng leaves and reports the situation to Old Qinhua.
• Old Qinhua recognizes that the crisis in Jinzhou is connected to the Yin Ruins Sect and the Eastern Sea Dragon Clan. She plans to exploit Jinzhou’s desperation by demanding that the current Armaments Division Court Pillar, Jiang Jue, be removed and replaced by Yangcheng.
• At the General Directorate, Chen Dao discovers that support for the border regions has been suspended entirely. Demon Exorcists from other areas, including Bingzhou, have also come seeking aid.
• Song Zhen reveals that a Demon Lord attacked Bingzhou and that Marshal Zheng Guang sacrificed himself so Song Zhen could escape.
• Chen Dao surprises Song Zhen by declaring that he did not come to request reinforcements: a Grandmaster has appeared in Jinzhou.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun demonstrates remarkable calm and self-control. Rather than reveal his desperation, he maintains an unshakable façade before Yangcheng, forcing the Martial Alliance to wait and potentially weakening its bargaining position.
• Chen Dao becomes increasingly urgent and personally travels to the Capital City, showing how seriously he views Jinzhou’s danger. Despite the crisis, he retains confidence because of the newly emerged Grandmaster.
• Yangcheng is ambitious and easily frustrated. He expects Lin Jun to plead for assistance, but Lin Jun’s refusal unsettles him. His desire for Jiang Jue’s position reveals his political ambitions.
• Old Qinhua is calculating and opportunistic. Although she understands the seriousness of Jinzhou’s situation, she focuses on increasing the Alliance’s leverage and advancing Yangcheng’s career.
• Song Zhen is portrayed as a desperate survivor who has witnessed the destruction caused by the Demon Lord and the sacrifice of Marshal Zheng Guang.
• Jiang Jue, unaware of Old Qinhua’s plans, humorously senses that someone is once again scheming to take his position.

Significant Themes

• Political opportunism during crisis: Old Qinhua uses Jinzhou’s emergency to demand a major political concession rather than simply offering aid.
• Composure and negotiation: Lin Jun’s calm performance contrasts with everyone else’s anxiety and may allow him to negotiate from a stronger position.
• Institutional failure: The General Directorate’s suspension of supplies and refusal to provide reinforcements leaves border regions vulnerable.
• Widening demonic threat: Both Jinzhou and inland Bingzhou are attacked, suggesting that the crisis is spreading beyond the borders.
• Power struggles within the Demon Exorcism Bureau: The Yin Ruins Sect and Martial Alliance seek influence over the Bureau, especially through control of important official positions.
• Sacrifice and survival: Marshal Zheng Guang’s death to save Song Zhen highlights the human cost of the escalating conflict.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun and Chen Dao: Their hurried journey shows mutual reliance, though Chen Dao handles the urgent report while Lin Jun remains behind.
• Lin Jun and Yangcheng: Their dinner becomes a silent contest of will. Yangcheng tries to pressure Lin Jun into requesting help, while Lin Jun refuses to acknowledge the implied crisis.
• Yangcheng and Old Qinhua: Yangcheng reports Lin Jun’s behavior, and Old Qinhua turns the situation into a political bargain designed to secure Yangcheng a higher position.
• Chen Dao and Song Zhen: Song Zhen assumes Chen Dao needs aid, but Chen Dao reverses expectations by revealing that Jinzhou has gained a Grandmaster.
• Old Qinhua and Jiang Jue: Though they do not meet, Old Qinhua’s plan directly threatens Jiang Jue’s position, while Jiang Jue instinctively senses the danger.

Chapter Summary: “Do Not Mislead Yourself”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun spends three uneventful days in the Capital City. On the fourth day, Chen Dao returns visibly displeased and informs him that representatives of the Yin Ruins Sect have arrived.
• Chen Dao explains that Grandmasters face no formal test when choosing between the Demon Exorcism Bureau and the Yin Ruins Sect; their cultivation is considered sufficient proof. The Sect’s decision to send a blue-robed disciple—a personal disciple-level representative—shows that they consider Lin Jun unusually valuable.
• Before a storm, Chen Dao brings Lin Jun to the General Directorate. Lü Zhao receives them and escorts Lin Jun to a pavilion, while Chen Dao remains outside.
• At the pavilion, Lin Jun meets the Military Commissioner, an elderly man with a decaying aura, and a young blue-robed disciple of the Yin Ruins Sect. Several regional Court Pillars are also present, seeking aid from the General Directorate.
• The Military Commissioner briefly discusses Jinzhou with Lin Jun and confirms that the severe demon calamity there has been eliminated.
• The Yin Ruins Sect disciple offers Lin Jun a place in the Sect, but according to its rules, Lin Jun must first serve as an inner disciple for three years before choosing a master and becoming a personal disciple.
• Lin Jun is surprised by the offer’s limitations and questions whether he has agreed to join the Sect at all. He states that he may remain with the Demon Exorcism Bureau instead.
• The young disciple’s friendly expression disappears, and he warns Lin Jun not to mislead himself or ruin his future, ending the chapter on a note of tension.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun demonstrates confidence and independence. Although the Yin Ruins Sect clearly wants him, he refuses to accept its offer blindly and questions its terms.
• Chen Dao is revealed to be disappointed and worried that Lin Jun will choose the Sect. His mood reflects both his regard for Lin Jun and his frustration at potentially losing him.
• The blue-robed disciple appears polite and composed, but his ingrained arrogance becomes apparent when Lin Jun challenges the Sect’s expectations. He views the Sect as the obvious superior choice and assumes Lin Jun should accept.
• The Military Commissioner treats Lin Jun with unusual familiarity and calmness, suggesting a close or significant connection. His lack of surprise at the Sect’s conditions contrasts with Lin Jun’s reaction.
• Song Zhen is shocked to discover that the young general he once escorted to Thunder Pool has already become a Grandmaster, recognizing Lin Jun as an extraordinary talent.
• The other Court Pillars appear intimidated by the Military Commissioner and the situation, emphasizing the authority surrounding the meeting.

Significant Themes

• Independence versus institutional control: Lin Jun must decide whether to preserve his freedom within the Demon Exorcism Bureau or accept the greater opportunities and restrictions of the Yin Ruins Sect.
• Pride and hidden arrogance: The Sect’s courteous language conceals an assumption that Lin Jun will naturally submit to its rules.
• The danger of self-deception: The disciple’s warning frames Lin Jun’s choice as a test of judgment, while the title suggests that blindly accepting the Sect’s path—or blindly rejecting it—could both become forms of misleading oneself.
• Recognition and exploitation of talent: Lin Jun’s rapid rise to Grandmaster status has attracted powerful factions, each seeking to claim or influence him.
• Status and hierarchy: The distinctions among the Sect’s robes and the reactions of the Court Pillars reinforce the rigid social and spiritual hierarchy of the world.

Important Character Interactions

• Chen Dao and Lin Jun: Chen Dao silently escorts Lin Jun and explains the selection process, revealing his concern about losing him to the Sect.
• Lin Jun and the Military Commissioner: Their conversation about Jinzhou is informal and almost familial, suggesting an established relationship or mutual familiarity.
• Lin Jun and the blue-robed disciple: The disciple presents the Sect’s offer as a foregone conclusion, but Lin Jun directly challenges that assumption by pointing out that he has not agreed to join.
• Song Zhen and Lin Jun: Song Zhen recognizes Lin Jun from his earlier training at Thunder Pool and is stunned by his transformation into a Grandmaster.
• The Court Pillars and the Military Commissioner: Their fear and reluctance to approach him highlight the Military Commissioner’s overwhelming authority.

Chapter Summary: Demon Suppression Pagoda

Key Plot Points and Events

• A blue-robed disciple of the Yin Ruins Sect personally invites Lin Jun to join the sect, but Lin Jun firmly refuses, choosing to remain with the Demon Exorcism Bureau.
• The envoy assumes Lin Jun is inexperienced and will eventually regret rejecting the sect’s superior cultivation resources. He leaves without realizing Lin Jun’s true accomplishments.
• The Military Commissioner warns Lin Jun that the Bureau cannot provide everything he needs for cultivation. Lin Jun confidently replies that he will obtain what he needs himself.
• Impressed by Lin Jun’s loyalty and resolve, the Military Commissioner orders Lü Zhao to take him to the Scripture Pavilion, where Lin Jun can choose a martial art manual to compensate for one Lü Zhao previously owed him.
• While reviewing a report from Jinzhou, the Military Commissioner discovers the full extent of Lin Jun’s recent achievements:
  • He pursued and killed the Cicada Lord over a thousand li.
  • He used the Soul Departure technique to destroy the Liao Du Demon Lord.
  • He subdued demons and established Guanyang Commandery.
• Realizing that Lin Jun has effectively dealt with two Demon Lords and accomplished feats worthy of provincial celebration, the Military Commissioner is shocked and delighted. He concludes that the Yin Ruins Sect has unknowingly missed an extraordinary talent who might have become the sect master’s personal disciple.
• The Military Commissioner suddenly rushes after Lin Jun, abandoning the confused Court Pillars.
• On the way to the Scripture Pavilion, the Military Commissioner appears before Lin Jun, Lü Zhao, and Chen Dao. He stops Lin Jun from going to the pavilion and instead invites him to visit the Demon Suppression Pagoda.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Demonstrates steadfast loyalty, confidence, and independence by rejecting the prestigious Yin Ruins Sect. His hidden achievements reveal him to be far more powerful and capable than most people realize.
• The Yin Ruins Sect envoy: Remains confident in the sect’s superiority and underestimates Lin Jun, believing he will eventually regret refusing the invitation.
• The Military Commissioner: Initially thinks Lin Jun has acted rashly, but his opinion changes dramatically after reading the report. He becomes impressed, proud, and eager to secure Lin Jun’s continued support for the Demon Exorcism Bureau.
• Lü Zhao: Continues to treat Lin Jun warmly and escorts him to the Scripture Pavilion. He is confused by the Military Commissioner’s sudden reaction, since he had not understood the full significance of Lin Jun’s accomplishments.
• Chen Dao: Is stunned by Lin Jun’s decision to remain with the Bureau and appears doubtful that Lin Jun truly acted willingly, though Lin Jun reassures him.
• The Court Pillars: React with admiration and disbelief at Lin Jun’s courage, while also recognizing their own uncertain position and lack of institutional support.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty versus personal advancement: Lin Jun chooses the Demon Exorcism Bureau despite the Yin Ruins Sect offering greater resources and prestige.
• Hidden strength and underestimation: Lin Jun’s achievements are largely unknown, causing even powerful figures to misjudge him.
• Institutional rivalry: The Bureau and the Yin Ruins Sect are nominally connected but secretly compete for talented martial artists. Lin Jun’s rejection becomes a rare victory for the Bureau.
• Merit revealed through action: Lin Jun’s accomplishments, rather than his title or reputation, prove his extraordinary ability.
• Fate and regret: The envoy believes Lin Jun will regret his decision, while the Military Commissioner realizes that the Yin Ruins Sect may be the party destined to regret missing him.

Character Interactions

• The Yin Ruins Sect envoy and Lin Jun exchange a polite but decisive rejection, with Lin Jun maintaining his resolve.
• The Military Commissioner challenges Lin Jun’s decision but is reassured by Lin Jun’s confidence and rewards his loyalty by granting access to the Scripture Pavilion.
• Lü Zhao and Lin Jun depart together amicably, with Lü Zhao offering to repay his debt by helping him choose a martial manual.
• Chen Dao quietly questions Lin Jun’s motives, but Lin Jun assures him that remaining with the Bureau was his own choice.
• After learning the truth about Lin Jun’s achievements, the Military Commissioner intercepts the group and redirects Lin Jun toward the Demon Suppression Pagoda, signaling that he now regards Lin Jun as someone deserving of special attention.

Chapter Summary: “Upheaval Upon Upheaval”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Military Commissioner takes an interest in Lin Jun after recognizing his potential and decides to give him access to the Demon Suppression Pagoda, despite Lin Jun only recently becoming a Grandmaster.
• He transports Lin Jun to the pagoda, a nine-level treasure and training ground left behind by the fallen pioneers of the Demon Exorcism Bureau. The lower three levels contain demon souls, remnants of powerful beings, possible medicines, weapons, martial arts, and cultivation methods.
• Before entering, Lin Jun learns that the Military Commissioner’s name is Guan Cheng. Guan Cheng encourages him to treat the pagoda primarily as a training ground and warns him not to overexert himself.
• Meanwhile, Lü Zhao informs Chen Dao that Lin Jun’s appointment as Jinzhou Marshal is no longer guaranteed. A powerful jianghu martial artist, supported by the Yin Ruins Sect, intends to compete for the position.
• The competition will be decided through the completion of a symbolic mission, with performance determining who becomes Marshal.
• Chen Dao is furious that an outsider backed by the Yin Ruins Sect might gain authority over Jinzhou, fearing that such martial artists will prioritize their sects over ordinary people and weaken the Demon Exorcism Bureau.
• Inside the first level of the pagoda, Lin Jun encounters hundreds of demon souls. Although they initially rush toward him, they suddenly stop and kneel, instinctively submitting to the Sky Fox Bloodline within him.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: Gains the Military Commissioner’s recognition and is given an opportunity to train in the Demon Suppression Pagoda. His mysterious Sky Fox Bloodline is revealed to possess overwhelming authority over demon souls.
• Guan Cheng: Shows strong approval of Lin Jun and considers taking him as a disciple, though he refrains because of his uncertain lifespan. His decision to send Lin Jun into the pagoda reflects both encouragement and concern for his growth.
• Chen Dao: Becomes openly angry and protective of Jinzhou’s people. His reaction reveals his deep loyalty to the Demon Exorcism Bureau and his distrust of sect-based martial artists.
• Lü Zhao: Acts as the bearer of troubling political news and recognizes the wider threat posed by the Yin Ruins Sect’s increasing influence.
• The unknown jianghu martial artist: Is established as Lin Jun’s rival for the Jinzhou Marshal position and as a potential instrument of the Yin Ruins Sect.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and institutional conflict: The Yin Ruins Sect uses its influence to interfere with the Demon Exorcism Bureau and place its own candidate in a powerful position.
• Duty versus self-interest: The Bureau emphasizes protecting ordinary people, while sect-affiliated martial artists are portrayed as likely to place their organizations first.
• Legacy and inheritance: The Demon Suppression Pagoda represents the sacrifices and accumulated power of the Bureau’s fallen pioneers.
• Hidden power and destiny: Lin Jun’s Sky Fox Bloodline grants him a natural dominance over demons, suggesting that his abilities may be far greater and more unusual than previously understood.
• Training through danger: The pagoda serves as a practical battlefield where Lin Jun can grow through real encounters rather than quiet cultivation alone.

Character Interactions

• The Military Commissioner praises Lin Jun’s potential, personally escorts him to the pagoda, and advises him to train cautiously.
• Guan Cheng reveals his name and his desire to mentor Lin Jun, though he ultimately keeps his distance because of his own limited time.
• Lü Zhao tells Chen Dao about the challenge to Lin Jun’s appointment, prompting Chen Dao’s outrage.
• Chen Dao and Lü Zhao debate the consequences of allowing the Yin Ruins Sect to influence the Bureau’s appointments.
• Lin Jun’s first interaction in the pagoda is not a battle but a display of supernatural dominance: the demon souls recognize his Sky Fox Bloodline and kneel before him.

Chapter Summary: “Killing the Human Soul”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun enters the Demon Suppression Pagoda expecting intense battles, but the demon and monster souls throughout the lower floors immediately submit to him because of his Sky Fox Bloodline.
• The Military Commissioner explains that the pagoda functions as a training ground. Its demon souls regenerate after death, allowing Demon Exorcists to repeatedly train and search for treasures left by predecessors.
• On the fourth floor, Lin Jun meets Gan Wei, a talkative martial artist from Lin Province. Gan Wei warns him not to advance further because the upper areas are dangerous, but Lin Jun ignores the warning and continues upward.
• Lin Jun’s bloodline causes demons and monsters—even powerful Grandmaster-level creatures and Demon Sages—to bow before him. He reaches the upper floors without fighting, leaving the observing Demon Exorcists astonished and confused.
• He discovers that the pagoda’s “fortuitous opportunities” have mostly already been claimed. The higher he goes, however, the fewer people have reached the treasure locations.
• On the ninth floor, Lin Jun finds a dark mourning hall containing twelve coffins, several of which seem to be watching him. A bamboo scroll instructs him to choose one reward from five boxes.
• Four boxes are empty, implying that four previous Demon Exorcists reached the ninth floor and claimed their rewards. The final box contains an ancient martial art called the Soul-Shattering Body-Fusion Art.
• After studying it, Lin Jun realizes that the technique is designed to destroy the practitioner’s Human Soul, or Divine Soul—the very soul that forms one of the defining powers of a Grandmaster.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun: His Sky Fox Bloodline proves far more powerful than he expected, allowing him to suppress even Demon Sage souls. His effortless progress makes him realize that his bloodline’s potential is extraordinarily high. He also notices that he has begun to feel disappointed by the lack of combat, suggesting a growing battle-mindedness.
• Gan Wei: Introduced as a scholarly, overly talkative martial artist and disciple of Lin Province’s Marshal. He is cautious and protective, warning Lin Jun about the dangers ahead despite barely knowing him.
• The previous Demon Exorcists: Although they do not appear directly, the empty treasure boxes reveal that several people reached the ninth floor through genuine strength, reminding Lin Jun not to underestimate the wider world.
• The aged figure in the bamboo scroll: Acts as a mysterious examiner or guardian who assumes Lin Jun endured difficult battles and awards him a treasure accordingly.

Significant Themes

• Power and bloodline supremacy: Lin Jun’s Sky Fox Bloodline demonstrates a frightening ability to dominate creatures much stronger than himself.
• Training versus true combat: The pagoda was built to provide humanity with endless training opponents, but Lin Jun’s unique abilities prevent him from using it normally.
• Humility and the limits of perception: Lin Jun initially assumes the reward will be unimpressive and recognizes that others may possess abilities greater than he realizes.
• The moral and existential danger of power: The Soul-Shattering Body-Fusion Art challenges the established path of cultivation by advocating the destruction of the Human Soul, raising questions about whether its practitioner can remain truly human.
• Mystery and hidden history: The coffins, watching presences, ancient scroll, and strange martial art suggest that the pagoda contains secrets far beyond ordinary training resources.

Character Interactions

• Gan Wei warmly introduces himself and questions Lin Jun’s origins, then repeatedly urges him to remain in the safer outer area of the fourth floor.
• Lin Jun politely acknowledges Gan Wei’s concern but disregards his advice, demonstrating his confidence and independence.
• The surrounding Demon Exorcists observe Lin Jun’s strange passage through the pagoda and speculate about his identity, with some suspecting a connection to the Yin Ruins Sect.
• Lin Jun interacts indirectly with the mysterious consciousness behind the bamboo scroll, which praises him, offers him a reward, and warns him not to be greedy.
• His most important interaction is with the Soul-Shattering Body-Fusion Art itself, whose purpose leaves him shocked and uncertain whether anyone can survive after destroying their Human Soul.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Jun fully comprehends the Soul-Shattering Body-Fusion Art, an ancient martial technique designed to merge the Human Soul completely into the physical body.
• The technique offers an extreme path to Martial Sainthood through physical cultivation alone, potentially making the practitioner stronger and more physically formidable than most Demon Sages.
• Its major drawback is the brutal cultivation process: each refinement requires destroying and rebuilding the body, causing the loss of all previously accumulated physical cultivation.
• Lin Jun realizes the art perfectly complements his Form-Shedding Technique, which already requires him to repeatedly rebuild his body. He considers this a fortunate opportunity but decides to consult Guan Cheng before practicing it.
• Before leaving the tower, Lin Jun burns three wooden twigs as incense and respectfully thanks the twelve mysterious coffins and their former owners for the martial art.
• Lin Jun returns from the Nine-Story Pagoda after only three days, having apparently reached its ninth level without showing signs of combat or exhaustion.
• Guan Cheng is stunned that a newly advanced Grandmaster could reach the ninth level so quickly. Lin Jun simply explains that he “walked up,” leaving Guan Cheng deeply shocked.
• Guan Cheng shares wine and food with Lin Jun, using the gathering to recover from the surprise.
• Ten days later, Old Qinhua and Yangcheng learn the truth about Jinzhou: the two Demon Lords have already been killed, and the demon calamity ended a month earlier.
• Chen Dao has stepped down as marshal and recommended Lin Jun as his successor. The Martial Alliance’s planned intervention was therefore unnecessary from the beginning.
• Yangcheng realizes that he and Old Qinhua had completely misunderstood Lin Jun and Chen Dao’s intentions. His previous attempts to impress or confront Lin Jun now seem humiliating and insignificant.
• At the end of the chapter, a representative of the Yin Ruins Sect arrives and asks Old Qinhua whether she would be willing to become Jinzhou’s marshal.

Character Developments

• Lin Jun demonstrates exceptional comprehension, confidence, and restraint. Rather than immediately cultivating a powerful but dangerous technique, he chooses to seek Guan Cheng’s advice. His effortless progress through the pagoda further establishes him as far stronger than others expected.
• Guan Cheng is revealed as increasingly overwhelmed by Lin Jun’s rapid advancement. Though an experienced military official, he is unable to explain how Lin Jun conquered the pagoda so quickly and turns to drink to calm himself.
• Yangcheng suffers a major blow to his pride. He recognizes that Lin Jun had never regarded him as a meaningful rival or concern, forcing him to confront the gap between his ambitions and Lin Jun’s achievements.
• Old Qinhua shifts from confidence and irritation to shock and uncertainty after discovering that the Jinzhou crisis has already ended.
• Chen Dao emerges as having acted strategically and successfully. His resignation and recommendation of Lin Jun demonstrate his trust in Lin Jun’s ability to govern Jinzhou.

Significant Themes

• The fusion of body and soul: The martial art reflects the ancient belief that the soul is an unstable foreign force and that true mastery comes from uniting consciousness with the body.
• Power versus cost: The technique promises extraordinary strength but demands the destruction and rebuilding of the practitioner’s body, highlighting the sacrifices required for supreme advancement.
• Fortune and compatibility: Lin Jun’s existing Form-Shedding Technique transforms the martial art’s greatest disadvantage into an advantage, suggesting that opportunities become meaningful when matched with the right circumstances.
• Misjudgment and hidden strength: Other characters consistently underestimate Lin Jun, while his effortless achievements expose how badly they have misunderstood him.
• Pride and humiliation: Yangcheng’s reaction emphasizes the emotional consequences of comparing oneself to someone operating on an entirely different level.
• Political maneuvering: The Jinzhou conflict is revealed to have been shaped by strategic reports, resignations, and recommendations rather than the immediate crisis the Martial Alliance believed it was addressing.

Character Interactions

• Lin Jun respectfully honors the mysterious figures associated with the twelve coffins before leaving the pagoda.
• Lin Jun and Guan Cheng discuss the Ancient Martial Art. Guan Cheng reacts with disbelief and demands to know how Lin Jun reached the ninth level so quickly; their conversation ends in a shared drink.
• Old Qinhua reprimands Yangcheng for his disheveled state, but his revelation about the deaths of the Demon Lords silences her and overturns her assumptions.
• Yangcheng internally compares himself with Lin Jun and recognizes that Lin Jun’s accomplishments have far surpassed his own ambitions.
• The chapter concludes with the Yin Ruins Sect approaching Old Qinhua, introducing a new political possibility: her appointment as Jinzhou’s marshal.

Chapter Summary: “Two Sects Vie for Marshal”

Plot and Key Events

• Song Zhen continues visiting the General Directorate every day, desperately seeking aid for Bingzhou City, which has been surrounded by demons for nearly a month. The marshal’s fate is unknown, and the city is close to collapse.
• The General Directorate is severely understaffed and unable to spare powerful Demon Exorcists. Its lack of response makes it appear indifferent to Bingzhou’s suffering.
• Song Zhen is unexpectedly summoned to the General Directorate’s main hall, where he finds the Military Commissioner, Lin Jun, the Qinhua Island Master, a disciple of the Yin Ruins Sect, and several regional Court Pillars.
• A political agreement has placed Lin Jun and Old Qinhua in competition to become marshal. The position would allow Old Qinhua to establish the Martial Alliance firmly on the mainland, while the Yin Ruins Sect seeks to expand its own influence.
• The blue-robed Yin Ruins Sect disciple offers the assembled Demon Exorcists a choice between two available Grandmasters: the newly advanced Lin Jun or the veteran Old Qinhua.
• Nearly every Demon Exorcist chooses Old Qinhua, believing her centuries of experience make her far more reliable and likely to reduce casualties.
• Song Zhen is the only one who chooses Lin Jun. He does so not from personal loyalty, but because Old Qinhua cannot possibly respond to four provinces at once. Bingzhou’s crisis is too urgent, so even Lin Jun’s lesser experience may be better than waiting for aid that arrives too late.

Character Developments

• Song Zhen remains persistent and responsible, refusing to abandon Bingzhou despite repeated rejection. His final decision shows practical judgment and concern for the city rather than favoritism.
• Lin Jun faces widespread rejection but maintains a calm, dignified expression. His composure reassures Guan Cheng that he possesses a strong mentality and will not be easily discouraged.
• Old Qinhua reveals her larger ambitions. Becoming marshal would give the Martial Alliance a foothold on the mainland and allow it to grow beyond the scattered Eastern Sea islands.
• The Yin Ruins Sect disciple emerges as a calculating political player. He views Lin Jun as an obstacle and believes Lin Jun’s poor fortune and unconventional path will eventually limit him.
• Guan Cheng acts as a cautious mentor to Lin Jun, warning him against blindly pursuing dangerous Ancient Martial Arts and revealing that the Bureau’s twelve coffins contain immensely powerful but potentially disastrous forces.

Important Character Interactions

• Song Zhen is forced to encounter Che Xian again and openly expresses his dislike, telling him to stay away.
• Guan Cheng advises Lin Jun to avoid the extreme and incomplete martial methods of antiquity, particularly the dangerous technique involving the killing of Human Souls.
• The Yin Ruins Sect disciple gains control of the situation through an agreement with the General Directorate and effectively dictates the terms of the marshal selection.
• The Demon Exorcists apologize to Lin Jun individually as they choose Old Qinhua, explaining that their priority is survival and minimizing casualties rather than sectarian loyalty.
• Song Zhen ultimately places Bingzhou’s fate in Lin Jun’s hands, accepting the risks of relying on a new Grandmaster because immediate assistance is more important than choosing the strongest available expert.

Significant Themes

• Duty versus political self-interest: Song Zhen focuses on saving Bingzhou, while Old Qinhua and the Yin Ruins Sect view the marshal position as a means of expanding institutional power.
• Pragmatism in wartime: The Demon Exorcists choose the safer, more experienced Grandmaster despite their natural allegiance to one of their own.
• Talent versus experience: Lin Jun represents promising but untested potential, whereas Old Qinhua embodies proven strength accumulated over centuries.
• Political manipulation: The crisis becomes an opportunity for rival sects and factions to compete for influence within the mainland.
• Fortune and destiny: The Yin Ruins Sect disciple believes Lin Jun’s poor fortune will hinder his future, suggesting that personal destiny is viewed as an important factor even among powerful cultivators.
• The danger of ancient power: Guan Cheng’s warning about Ancient Martial Arts and the twelve coffins emphasizes that older and stronger techniques are not necessarily wiser or safer.